Timeless 2
by jakesgirl1001
Summary: The second in the series of the timeless story of Sam and Jake.
1. Chapter 1

**TIMELESS 2**

**Chapter 1**

Samantha Forster rode her horse George during roundup. She had just turned eight years old a few days before. She rode near her father who was riding his new horse Smoke.

Smoke was a dark gray horse and Dad was already really happy with him. He had commented that he was the best cow horse he had ever seen with minimal training.

Smoke was still a stallion so Sam wasn't allowed to interact with him much. Dad warned her that stallions were unpredictable, especially with mares around. Dad planned on gelding him, but he was going to breed him to one of their Quarter Horse mares first.

The new mare, Princess Kitty was a sweet horse, Sam thought. Sorrel and small, she had a lot of patience with Sam which she appreciated. Kitty waited by the gate for Sam to bring her the daily carrot that Sam had begun feeding her when she had arrived at River Bend a few months ago.

Sam turned when she heard the hoofbeats behind her. Jake was riding up on his horse. Both his father and Dad looked at him.

"Got a cow calving," Jake told them.

"Now?" Mr. Ely yelped.

Jake nodded.

Both men reined their horses around to follow Jake. Sam went with them. Jake seemed so grown up now as he led them to where the cow was.

He would be ten in October and their friendship was still strong. They liked to ride together on the playa, Jake always ready to help her with her riding.

Jake was becoming a really good horseman, Sam thought as she watched him ride ahead of her. She knew that Dad asked his advice at times when it came to horses. She had overheard Dad say that he'd like to hire Jake to train horses for him when Jake was a bit older. He was that good.

He had also become a world-class tracker. Jake had her go out onto the playa or range at times and he would find her. It was their special kind of hide and seek. He'd give her a thirty minute head start and then he would track her to where she had ended up.

At first, she thought he was just teasing her. That he wouldn't come after her. However, he did and always did. He always found her too no matter where she went or what terrain she rode her horse over.

What amazed Sam is that Jake was so modest when it came to his talents. Jake was just a modest guy for the most part. Of course with her, he liked to lord his talents over her when he could. He'd give her his smug tomcat lying in the sun grin and Sam would want to hit him. That's the type of friendship they had. He was like her big brother and she loved him in her own way.

Up ahead, Sam saw Kit on the ground behind the cow which was trying to calve. From where she was, it looked like he was trying to pull the calf out of the cow. Sam shuddered.

"You might want to stay back here," Jake said to her, catching her eye.

Sam nodded and pulled up George, letting the men ride ahead. Jake knew that Sam was softhearted and she'd hate to see the cow hurting. Though she had finally figured it out, she still didn't like to talk about where meat came from.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

She heard one of the Ely boys swear from where she was sitting on George. Things must not be going well.

"Quinn, grab that leg," Kit yelled at his younger brother.

Quinn ran and sat on the ground next to Kit. Kit let go of one of the legs and Quinn took it and began to pull.

Both Dad and Luke dismounted quickly and rushed over. Jake was slower dismounting.

"What's wrong?" Luke asked his oldest son.

"Calf's stuck," Kit grunted as he and Quinn continued to pull.

The cow started screaming a horrible sound and Sam put her hands over her ears. Everyone was concentrating on the cow and calf, but Jake immediately looked back towards Sam. He saw how she was reacting and started running to her.

Jake grabbed George's bridle and turned him around so Sam was facing away from what was going on.

"Don't look, Brat," Jake warned her, looking up at her. He could see the tears as she cried, her hands still over her ears.

Just as suddenly as it started, the screaming stopped. The cow gave a great heave and lay still.

"Damn it," Kit swore, giving one more pull, but not able to get the calf out.

"It hasn't moved in awhile," Nate told him.

Kit nodded and let go of the leg. Quinn let go of the other and the two of them tried to catch their breath.

"You boys did what you could," Luke patted Kit on the shoulder.

"It's over, Brat," Jake put his hand on her knee.

"Did s-s-she…," Sam asked.

"Died," Jake murmured.

Sam's bottom lip trembled as she tried to keep from crying more. Jake rubbed the back of his neck with one hand while he kept the other on George's bridle.

"Th-the baby?" Sam asked.

Jake shook his head sadly.

Even though it wasn't a River Bend cow, Sam was sad that they had died. At eight years old, she had been without a mother now for four years and she understood death a bit more.

"Are you okay, Sam?" Dad asked. His eyes met Jake's.

Sam nodded without looking at him.

"Jake, why don't you and Sam go ahead and ride back to the herd," Dad suggested.

Jake nodded and went to catch his horse. He swung up without using his stirrups.

"Come on, Brat," Jake urged as he rode up to her. She gave a quick glance at him and he started forward, Sam trailing after him.

"She hates death," Wyatt murmured as he watched his daughter ride off.

"She's had to deal with it way too young," Luke put his hand on the shoulder of his friend.

Wyatt nodded.

Jake glanced back at Sam who wasn't looking at him, but rather at the ground. He wasn't sure what to say to her. So he decided not to say anything, slowing his horse so they rode abreast.

Sam's eyes flicked up and he saw the tears in them.

"Do you want to go find your Gram?" Jake asked.

Sam shook her head. She wiped her tears and gave a big sniffle.

"I'm sorry," Jake decided to say.

Sam just nodded.

"Do you want to practice roping later?" Jake asked.

"Okay," Sam's voice cracked. She knew what Jake was doing and she appreciated it, though she knew she needed practice roping too. She wasn't very good at it.

They met up with the herd again. Dallas, the River Bend foreman saw the two of them together and Sam's eyes red from crying. His eyes met Jake's. Jake shook his head slightly. Dallas gave a nod.

"I'm sorry you lost a cow," Sam finally said.

"It happens," Jake shrugged. "I know Dad won't be happy but it's part of ranchin'."

Sam didn't say anything.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Gram was able to tell that Sam had been crying when she and Jake came into camp together later.

"What's wrong, honey?" Gram asked Sam. Gram flicked a look at Jake who was taking the saddle off of his horse.

"A cow died," Sam murmured.

"I'm sorry Sam," Gram gave her a hug. "Unfortunately, that's part of ranching sometimes."

"I hate ranching," Sam sneered.

"Ranching allows you to ride that horse," Gram reminded her. "It puts a roof over your head also."

"I don't care," Sam snapped, undoing the cinch on George.

Gram tsked her tongue and left, shaking her head as she went.

"Ranchin' didn't kill that cow, Brat," Jake told her. "Kit did everything he could to save her and the calf."

Sam sighed and looked at him.

"I know," Sam responded.

"Here, let me get your saddle down for you," Jake put his saddle on the ground and pulled Sam's off of George's back. "You turn them loose and I'll carry this for you."

"Thanks," Sam murmured. She unbuckled George's bridle and turned him loose into the remuda. Then she did the same for Jake's horse.

Together the two youngsters went towards camp. Sam pulled back the door of the tent she shared with Gram and Jake put her tack just inside the door.

"I'll see you at dinner," he told her and continued on to the tent he shared with his brothers.

Sam headed for the campfire.

"I'm sorry, Gram," Sam apologized for acting like a brat.

"I understand, honey," Gram gave her a hug. "It's hard sometimes."

Sam nodded.

The noise factor increased as Dad, Luke and the other Ely boys rode in. Despite the loss of the cow and calf the boys were teasing each other about something.

"Could you get the plates for me out of the chuck wagon, Samantha?" Gram asked.

Sam turned and hurried towards the van. She reached up on her tiptoes to open the side door then grabbed a stack of plates. Sam hurried back and handed them to Gram before heading back for another stack.

By the time she had them all, everyone was already there and starting to put food on their plates. She put the last stack where she had put the others and then got in line.

"You can get in front of me, Sammy," Adam turned and waved her forward.

"Not fair," Quinn complained.

Sam grinned up at him as she passed him in line.

"Hey Jakey, Sammy's got a new boyfriend," Bryan told his youngest brother as Jake walked by with a full plate. Jake gave him a dirty look.

"Guess he doesn't care," Quinn laughed. "Poor Sammy's just been broken up with and she doesn't even know it."

"Replaced by a plate of food," Bryan laughed with his twin.

Sam ignored them both. She was used to them teasing her about Jake being her boyfriend. As if an eight year old could have a boyfriend!

"Hey, Sammy," Kit greeted her when they had all gotten their food and sat down.

Sam smiled at him as she ate.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Kit told her.

Sam nodded with a frown.

"I hear you get to come with us this year on our camping trip," Kit said.

Sam nodded this time with a smile.

"Sure you're ready for it, Sammy?" Nate asked.

"Why?" Sam wondered.

"We don't use tents," Jake reminded her. "Plus we catch our food."

"Like fish, right?" Sam asked.

"Fish, rabbit, whatever we can," Quinn said.

Sam gulped. "Rabbits?"

"Cute little fuzzy bunnies," Quinn teased.

"Stop," Jake muttered at Quinn, seeing Sam was about to start crying again.

Quinn gave him an amusing look.

"We rarely catch rabbits," Jake told her. "Mostly fish."

"Berries too," Adam said.

"I'm sure we can do without rabbit for once," Kit put in, glaring at Quinn.

"What if it rains?" Sam wondered.

All six of the Elys shrugged.

"You get wet, huh?" Sam answered her own question.

"It rarely rains in July," Jake pointed out.

"Okay," Sam gave her own shrug. "It sounds like fun."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Sam was going to eat those words she uttered on roundup. Oh, she was having fun, but camping with the Elys was also different than anything else she had experienced.

Gram had driven her over to Three Ponies where Sam would leave with the Ely boys. When they had arrived, the boys had their horses already saddled and were loading supplies onto the two pack horses they were bringing with them.

Jake came over when Sam got out of Gram's Buick.

"Where's your sleeping bag?" he asked. "I'll add it to the pack horse."

Sam opened the back of the Buick and Jake grabbed her sleeping bag, bringing it over to Kit who tied it down on the pack horse.

She had a small duffle bag with her clothes and things in it. Jake came back to take it and tie it behind the saddle of the horse she would be riding.

"Have a good time, Samantha," Gram told her, giving her a hug.

"Okay," Sam murmured. Now that the day of going was here, Sam was apprehensive. She wasn't sure she could do this.

Jake motioned her over towards the horse he had tied her bag onto and Sam walked towards him.

"This is Daisy," Jake said. "She's really gentle that Mom rides her sometimes."

Sam held out her hand to the bay mare. Daisy snuffled her hand and lipped her fingers. Sam couldn't help the smile. Jake gave her a smile and nodded.

He left her to get acquainted with the mare and went back to where his brothers were getting everything ready. Jake double checked that one of his brothers had fastened the fishing equipment onto one of the pack horses. One of his jobs was to catch the fish, so he always made sure the equipment wasn't forgotten.

"We ready?" Nate asked. Sam looked over at him. At thirteen his voice had dropped. He too had gone through the up and down voice cracking for awhile. Now he sounded like a man and Sam wasn't used to it.

"Yep," Quinn's voice squeaked a bit. He grimaced. Sam wondered if he would be next to go through the voice thing. She glanced at Jake, not able to imagine him with a deep voice like Nate's, Adam's and Kit's.

"Where's your hat?" Jake asked her. Sam hadn't heard him come up behind her and she jumped in surprise.

"In Gram's car," Sam frowned.

"Her skin will end up burning if she doesn't have a hat," Bryan said, overhearing them.

"I have an old one that should work," Jake ran towards the house.

He was back within minutes with a small black hat. She bet it was the one he had worn when they had first met four years ago. Jake plunked it on her head and nodded.

"There," he said, satisfied.

Kit swung up into the saddle of his horse and the rest of the Ely boys followed his lead. Sam murmured to Daisy and mounted the bay mare. Jake came near to her on the gelding he was riding and checked on her.

Sam nodded at him to let him know she was fine.

Kit started for the range, one of the pack horses behind him. Nate followed Kit. Adam was next, with the other pack horse, then Quinn and Bryan. Sam and Jake brought up the rear.

"How far do you go?" Sam asked Jake.

"It will take most of the day to get there," Jake told her. "There's a valley in the mountains that we like to camp at. I think that's where we're going."

"Okay," Sam murmured.

"Relax, Brat," Jake grinned at her. "You'll have a good time, I bet."

"I've never camped before," Sam admitted.

"It's fun," Jake said.

Sam flicked her gaze to him.

"It is," Jake insisted. "It's the best to be able to spend your whole day outside."

"I like roundup," Sam said.

"It's a lot like roundup, but no tents and no cattle," Jake responded. "We just do whatever we feel like doing. Go swimming, play cards, eat, play ball, play on the horses, whatever we want."

"Go swimming?" Sam asked. "I didn't bring a bathing suit."

"Neither did none of us," Jake shrugged.

"Jake, I can't swim naked," Sam hissed.

"So wear your underwear," Jake shrugged again.

Sam gave him an astounded look. She had never imagined she'd be swimming without clothes on with a bunch of boys. Sam could just imagine what Gram and Dad would have to say if they knew.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Nate handed Sam a bag of beef jerky a bit later while they rode. She smiled her thanks and took a handful. Bryan handed her a bottle of water. Sam wasn't sure how to grab the bottle when one hand held the reins and the other the jerky.

"Put your reins in your teeth," Jake instructed her.

Sam gave him a look to determine whether he was teasing her. He raised an eyebrow at her. Sam glanced at Bryan who was grinning but nodding. Sam looked at the other brothers and they were all watching her. Were they watching to see if she would be a sissy about it?

With a shrug Sam put the reins between her teeth and took the bottle from Bryan. Jake gave her a nod as she then took her reins with left hand again and took a sip from the bottle.

"Will we get there before dark?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Jake answered. "We've only got a few more hours."

"What if I have to, uh…," Sam blushed without looking at him.

Jake gave her a startled look and Sam knew she had asked a dumb question.

"You just go," Jake shrugged. "One of us will stay with you while the others go ahead."

"What?" Sam yelped.

"What, what?" Jake questioned. "What do you do on roundup?"

Sam blushed. He had a point, she guessed. That didn't mean that she was comfortable discussing this with him. She nodded.

"Nobody will watch," Jake guessed what was bothering her.

"Okay," Sam blushed deeper.

"Everybody does it, Brat," Jake reminded her, sensibly.

"Okay," Sam couldn't look at him. Maybe when she was ten, she could discuss it, but right now she was embarrassed.

Jake's mouth twitched. He was seeing the differences between boys and girls. Going out on the range was nothing to him and his brothers. Girls were a bit more sensitive about this sort of thing and he vowed to remember it. Not that he'd tease Sam about a bodily function. That was too far, even for him and the friendship they shared.

He thought his brothers probably wouldn't either. Well who knew with Quinn and Bryan. When it came to those two, nobody was able to predict what they'd do.

Gosh, Jake was glad he was a guy. Girls were pretty high maintenance according to things he had overheard from Kit and Adam. Whatever that meant.

Jake glanced over at Sam. Normally she wasn't bent out of shape from things. One of the reasons he liked her was because she hadn't been afraid of frogs and dove into the river headfirst after a fish.

He thought about the girls at school and couldn't see many of them doing that. Sam hadn't hesitated.

Jake felt her gaze and returned it.

"Can I help fish?" Sam asked.

"Are you going to dive in after it?" Jake wondered with a grin.

"No," Sam shook her head. "You have fishing poles, right?"

"Yep," Jake nodded. "Sure you can help fish. I'll gut it for you."

Sam paled. Jake laughed. He laughed so hard, his brothers turned around to look at the two of them. Sam leaned over to punch his thigh.

"Ow," Sam shook her hand. When had Jake gotten thigh muscles?

"Serves you right," Jake's tomcat grin spread across his face.

"We've got to teach you how to properly throw a punch, Sammy," Nate told her. "Remind me tonight."

"Oh that's a good idea," Jake rolled his eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

After going through some switchbacks through the foothills, they reached the little valley. Sam looked around and couldn't help the smile. The walls were high and there was a waterfall that emptied into a small lake. The lake also had a waterfall that emptied into a small stream. To Sam it all looked perfect.

"How'd you find this?" Sam asked Jake as they dismounted.

"Grandfather found it years ago," Jake told her.

"Who does it belong to?" Sam wondered.

"Whoever happens to be here at the time," Jake shrugged.

"Does anyone else know about it?" Sam asked.

"Dunno," Jake shrugged again.

"Grandfather says it's part of the Shoshone tribal lands," Bryan said, hearing their conversation. "So we can use it whenever we want."

"I'm not Shoshone," Sam pointed out.

"You're adopted," Quinn responded. "As long as you're here with us, you're fine."

Sam nodded and smiled. "What should I do?"

"Go ahead and take the tack off Daisy," Jake said. "She won't go anywhere."

"Okay," Sam answered and began to do just that.

First she untied the bag she had brought and put it in the pile where the guys were putting their things. Then she loosened the cinch and pulled the saddle off of the mare. She put the saddle on the ground and took the bridle off, leaving on the halter.

Draping the bridle over the saddle horn, Sam grunted as she managed to pick up the saddle and stumbled with it to where the others were putting their saddles. Sam noticed that the guys were watching her out of the corner of their eyes. Probably to see whether or not she'd complain about the weight. She didn't.

Jake gave her a nod as he motioned her over to help unpack the two pack horses.

"Put the sleeping bags in a pile over there," he pointed. "That's where we'll end up sleeping."

"Okay," Sam nodded and took the couple that he handed to her and brought them to where he had indicated they went. She came back and he handed her a couple more and she repeated the process until all seven of the sleeping bags were in a pile.

Then they took the fishing gear and Jake showed her where they usually kept it.

Quinn and Bryan were getting firewood while Adam was cleaning out the area they used for the fire. Sam could see the ring of stones and rocks from previous fires.

Since it didn't look like Jake needed help, she went over to where the twins were gathering firewood and helped them. She lifted what she could and Bryan told her to grab some of the scrub for them to start the fire with.

"We get firewood every morning," Quinn told her. "That way we have enough for when we cook and at night."

Sam nodded in understanding.

"Girl's bathroom will be that clump of bushes there," Kit announced as he pointed. "If I see any of you guys near there I'll beat your asses."

Sam blushed.

"Guys' bathroom is over there," Kit pointed to a spot away from the girl's spot. "I wouldn't wander too close to it, Sammy."

Sam blushed deeper and shook her head, looking down at the ground. The six Elys grinned over her head. All of them were thankful they were guys.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Sam flicked her wrist to launch the hook and worm into the stream. Jake gave her an approving nod as he did the same near her.

She had made him bait her hook since she couldn't bear to put the wiggly worm onto it. Sam had hit him when she heard him mumble something about girls. Jake had just given her a lopsided grin.

She was enjoying herself so far. The guys were respectful when she had to use her bathroom area, just as she tried not to look if any of them wandered near their area. Of course, she was finding out pretty quickly that guys had it much easier for that sort of thing than girls did. She wouldn't say she was envious, but she did wish all she had to do was unzip her jeans instead of what she had to do.

Suddenly she felt the fish on the end of her line and she pulled it onshore, shouting at Jake to get it off the hook. She hit him in the face with the fish as she tried to keep out of its way.

Jake snorted as he grabbed the fishing line to keep her from hitting him with the fish again. Skillfully, he took off the fish and tossed it further on shore where it wouldn't wiggle back into the water. Sam couldn't look. She felt bad for the fish, but she knew they all had to eat too.

"Good goin', Brat," Jake told her, rebaiting her hook.

"You two having a contest?" Adam asked as he wandered over.

"I'm winning," Sam said.

"I believe, _I'm_ winning," Jake contradicted her.

"You two sound like an old married couple," Adam joked. He noticed the looks that Sam and Jake gave each other. Adam bit back a grin. He and Kit still thought the two of them would end up together and had written it down and put it in an envelope in Adam's closet to be opened in eleven years.

"What are they arguing about?" Kit asked back at the fire.

"Who has to diaper the kids," Adam laughed. Kit laughed with him. "I told them they sound like an old married couple."

"Who has to diaper Jakey?" Quinn joked.

"Thank goodness he was potty trained last year," Nate put in with a laugh.

"Wonder if Sammy would have changed him," Bryan said.

"Has she ever seen…?" Kit wondered.

"Not unless the two of them have been skinny dipping and we don't know about it," Nate responded.

The five guys looked over to where the two younger kids were still fishing.

"Nah," Adam shook his head.

"Well, let's not scare her," Kit told them. "Try and remember she's just eight and doesn't have siblings. If you go swimming, strip at the edge of the lake and go right in."

The other four nodded, understanding.

"Maybe we can have her turn around until we're all in," Adam suggested.

"That's an idea," Kit agreed. "Of course, that doesn't help in her situation. I doubt she wants to swim naked with the six of us."

"Jake mentioned underwear," Bryan said.

"Maybe Jakey would donate one of his t-shirts," Quinn suggested.

"That's a good idea," Kit nodded. "Not that she has anything to look at, at eight years old, but I'd hate to have to deal with Wyatt if he found out we swam naked with his naked daughter."

All five guys shuddered.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Why can't you loan her a t-shirt?" Jake asked Kit a bit later after they had eaten dinner. The two of them were down by the stream and cleaning the pans, plates and eating utensils.

"Maybe because I'm three times her size?" Kit responded.

Jake rubbed the back of his neck. Then he nodded.

"Okay, that makes sense," Jake said.

"Good man," Kit clapped his little brother on the back. "We'll go swimming tomorrow."

He explained to Jake what they had decided to do about Sam swimming with them. Jake nodded, thinking it would work.

"So have you two, ah, skinny dipped together?" Kit looked at him, raising his eyebrow at his little brother.

"No!" Jake yelped. "We've always worn clothes."

"Just checking, little man," Kit grinned at him.

The two of them finished up and started back towards the fire. Sam was brushing out her snarled hair, about to put it back into a ponytail.

"You should braid that," Adam told her.

Sam looked up at him through lowered lids.

"You don't know how, huh?" Adam asked.

Sam shook her head.

"Turn around, Sammy," Adam twirled his finger.

Sam turned her back to him.

"How do you know how to braid a girl's hair?" Quinn asked Adam.

Adam just grinned, dividing Sam's hair into three plaits. He started braiding her hair into one braid down her back.

Jake and Kit walked up to see Adam sitting right behind Sam and braiding her hair for her. The two of them exchanged glances, both sure they'd never seen Adam braiding hair before.

"There you go, Sammy," Adam twisted the tie around the end.

"Thanks Adam," she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him.

Adam kissed the top of her head.

"Adam's kissing your girlfriend, Jakey," Quinn teased, looking at his little brother.

Jake gave him a dirty look, but didn't say anything. He put the clean things away before unrolling his sleeping bag near the fire.

"Cards?" Kit asked as he too unrolled his sleeping bag and sat down.

Sam yawned.

"Do you know how to play?" Jake asked. Sam shook her head.

"It's okay," Sam assured him. "I'll just watch."

"Maybe we should have brought some dolls," Quinn joked.

Sam lifted her head to look at him. "I don't play with dolls."

Jake snorted.

"You don't?" Nate asked, surprised. "I thought all girls played with dolls."

"I don't," Sam shook her head.

"Sam plays football," Bryan grinned at the young girl.

Sam glanced at him.

"I'm the hiker," she grinned back at him.

"And a very good, uh, _hiker_ at that," Kit laughed.

"A very good _hiker_ that should only get better," Adam laughed with his brother, exchanging a look with Kit.

Jake saw it and wondered at it. Somehow he didn't think the two of them were talking about football.

Kit looked up and saw Jake looking at him. He winked at his little brother, knowing Jake had no clue what he and Adam were talking about. Kit was sure he would in a few years, but right now Jake was totally clueless about girls.

As far as Kit knew, Jake and Sam had never even kissed. Not even to just see what it would be like. Kit hid a grin. At ten, Jake's age, he had kissed several girls. He knew the rest of his brothers had all kissed girls by Jake's age.

Maybe Kit needed to talk to Jake about the facts of life. He vowed to do so soon.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Sam was cold. The only thing sticking out of her sleeping bag was the top of her head, but she was still cold. She wore a pair of sweats to sleep in, but she was still cold. Even positioned between Jake's and Kit's sleeping bag, she was cold. She couldn't help shivering.

Jake woke up feeling Sam begin to shiver. He poked his head out of the sleeping bag and just saw the top of her head. He checked the fire and sat up to add a couple of pieces of wood to it. The fire flared up and he felt the heat.

"What's wrong, Jake?" Kit whispered.

"Sam's shivering," Jake whispered back.

"Sammy?" Kit shook her.

Her head popped out of her sleeping bag and Jake was reminded of a jack-in-a-box. He couldn't help the snort.

"You find the strangest times to find something amusing," Kit told him with a grin.

Jake shook his head.

"Are you cold, Sammy?" Kit asked Sam.

At first Jake thought she'd deny it. She sighed then nodded.

"Do you want to sleep with me?" Kit asked, causing Jake's head to snap around.

Sam was surprised too.

"Unless you want to do it, Jakey," Kit mentioned casually.

Jake knew he had been set up. He shot Kit the dirtiest look he could muster. Kit just grinned, his white teeth flashing in his dark face in the light from the fire.

Sam bit her lip to keep her teeth from chattering.

Jake grumbled under his breath and got out of his sleeping bag. At least he was wearing clothes, unlike when he slept at home.

"Get out, Brat," Jake whispered, unzipping his sleeping bag.

"Why?" Sam was hesitant.

"The two of you will zip yours together and your bodies will keep each other warm," Kit explained.

Sam looked between the two guys. Then she shrugged. At least she'd be warm and could sleep. She unzipped her sleeping bag and got out. Kit grabbed her hand and sat her down on his lap while Jake zipped the two bags together.

"Get in and face Kit," Jake got in the bag.

Sam got in and lay down. Kit zipped the bag up, his grin still white on his face.

"I know," Jake warned him, lying down with his back to Sam.

Kit chuckled.

"Nighty night, Jakey," Kit laughed softly as he turned over.

Jake heard him chuckle again as Sam backed up against his back.

It took awhile, but she finally quit shivering and fell asleep, Jake's body heat keeping her warm. Once she quit shivering, Jake was able to sleep also.

When he woke up in the morning, Jake at first was disoriented with the weight against him. Then he remembered. Sam. He lifted his head and looked at her. She was still sleeping.

"Ten years old and slept with your first girl," Quinn teased him on the other side.

"Oh, shut up," Jake muttered.

"I'm proud of you Jakey," Quinn went on.

Jake felt his hands curl into fists. He gave Quinn a warning look, but Quinn ignored it.

"Maybe you need to marry her now," Quinn said.

Jake jumped out of his sleeping bag and onto Quinn, swinging his fist.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Sam woke up when Jake and Quinn rolled over her. She yelped which woke up Kit. Kit took one look at what was going on between Jake and Quinn and climbed over Sam to get between the two guys.

Sam scrambled out of the sleeping bag she was sharing with Jake as Kit and Nate broke up the fight.

"What brought that on?" Kit asked both of the combatants.

"Quinn and his mouth," Jake responded.

"Jakey can't take a joke," Quinn said.

"Quinn," Nate warned, betting he knew what the _joke_ was about. He met Kit's eyes above the heads of Quinn and Jake. Kit gave a nod, having a good idea on what the _joke_ was about also.

Both Nate and Kit glanced at Sam who was standing nearby.

"You two need to knock it off," Kit warned them.

Jake gave Quinn a look. Quinn gave Jake a shove.

"Stop it, Quinn," Nate told him.

Quinn gave a sigh and nodded. Nate let go of his younger brother and Kit let go of Jake.

Kit turned towards Sam. "Sorry about that, Sammy."

Sam nodded.

"You go wash up in the stream and we'll get changed, okay?" Kit asked her.

Sam nodded, heading down to the stream to give the guys some privacy while they changed into clean clothes.

"She's going to disown us at this rate," Bryan chuckled.

"She should be used to it," Nate responded, also chuckling.

"Let's hurry and get changed so Sammy can too," Adam said, getting out some clean clothes to wear.

"When did she finally quit shivering, Jake?" Kit asked as he quickly took his shirt off and put on a clean one.

"About halfway through the night," Jake answered, starting to change.

"Is that why she was in your sleeping bag?" Bryan wondered.

"Why else?" Kit inquired. "She's eight years old, for crying out loud."

"Better than your sleeping bag, I guess," Bryan conceded.

Kit snorted.

Jake finished changing and pulled on his boots, then headed down to the stream without a word. His brothers watched him go.

"Quinn, you can't tease him about his friendship with Sam," Adam told him now that Jake was gone.

"What exactly did you say?" Kit asked as he pulled on his boots.

"I teased him about being ten and sleeping with his first girl," Quinn shrugged. "Then I told him that maybe he needed to marry Sammy now."

His brothers groaned.

"No wonder he jumped you," Nate shook his head.

"Not that he knows what people do when they sleep together," Kit murmured.

"Still, you shouldn't have said it," Adam said.

"Jake's sensitive about his friendship with Sam," Kit nodded. "It's not everyday that a ten year old guy likes hanging around a little girl."

"He's always been sensitive about their friendship," Bryan pointed out.

"Jake can't take much teasing," Nate said. "Especially about Sam. Heck, he can't take much teasing, period.

"Which is prolly why he started hanging around with her in the first place," Adam replied.

The other four nodded.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Sam was sitting on a rock by the stream when Jake went down to the water.

"Sorry," Jake murmured to her as he bent over to splash his face.

"It's okay," Sam shrugged, looking back up at camp.

"They should be down soon, then you can go change," Jake told her.

"Okay," Sam wrapped her arms around her legs.

"Cold?" Jake asked.

"No, not really," Sam shook her head. "I'm sorry I got cold last night."

"Don't worry about it, Brat," Jake sat down next to her. "You should have said somethin' earlier."

"I didn't want anyone to think I was a wimp," Sam told him.

"You _are_ a wimp," Jake teased. "You're a girl, you can't help it."

Sam hit him and he laughed.

"That reminds me, Quinn promised to show me how to hit properly," Sam said with a grin.

"Just what we need," Jake rolled his eyes, chuckling when she hit him again.

"Good goin', Sammy," Quinn's voice made them both turn around. "We'll practice later."

"Go ahead and get changed, Sammy," Kit said as he came down to the stream. He was carrying the fishing gear. "We'll give you some privacy while we catch breakfast."

"And lunch," Bryan laughed.

"And dinner," Nate put in.

"Okay," Sam scrambled down from the rock and ran back to the camp.

"She's a good sport," Adam said as he watched her go.

"Yeah, she's a good kid," Kit agreed.

"For a girl," Quinn grinned.

"She's going to be cute when she grows up," Nate said.

Jake looked at him in surprise.

"I agree," Kit glanced at Adam who grinned.

"Why do you say that?" Bryan wondered.

Nate shrugged. Bryan looked at Kit.

"Just the way everything is put together," Kit shrugged. "Kinda like a horse. You can get an idea of what the horse will end up like by the way it's put together."

Bryan and Quinn nodded. Jake wouldn't look at his brothers. Adam and Kit noticed and their eyes met again.

"The guy who ends up liking her better speak up early," Adam tried to say nonchalantly.

"Why?" Quinn asked.

"She'll draw a lot of attention when she's about fourteen or fifteen," Kit predicted. "If someone doesn't stake a claim early, they could end up losing out."

Jake looked sharply at his oldest brother.

"You make her sound like a horse," Jake scoffed.

"She's going to be a beautiful woman," Kit said, knowingly.

"A beautiful woman who knows how to hit," Quinn laughed.

"Just don't teach her too much, huh?" Jake said to him. "I'm the one who will get hit most often by her."

The rest of his brothers laughed.

"Just enough to torment you," Quinn's grin widened.

"I figured," Jake murmured.

"You can count on me, Jakey," Quinn told him.

Jake ignored him, grabbing one of the fishing poles instead. He baited it and dunked the hook into the stream. Kit launched his hook as well.

"Think she's just about ready?" Nate asked, looking up at the camp.

"Don't go up there until she makes an appearance," Adam warned him.

"Yeah, we don't want to walk in on her still dressing or using the girl's bushes," Kit said, bringing a fish up on shore.

"Camping with girls can be a pain," Quinn complained.

Kit grinned.

"Just young girls," he told his brother. "Once they get old enough it can be fun."

He and Adam laughed, then they high fived.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"You hold your hand like this, Sammy," Quinn demonstrated after breakfast.

Sam curled her hand.

"No, your thumb outside," Quinn took her hand and put her thumb outside of her fist.

"It doesn't feel right," Sam tucked her thumb back in.

"You'll break your thumb," Bryan warned her.

Sam popped her thumb back out, causing all six of the Elys to laugh. She hit the nearest guy which was Jake.

"Ow," Jake complained, rubbing his arm. "No more hittin' lessons for you."

"Wimp," Sam teased.

Six jaws dropped as she giggled.

"Sammy, quite the joker," Nate guffawed.

Sam gave him a saucy grin.

"Time to go swimming," Kit announced. "It's getting hot."

Sam lost her grin.

"You go and change Sammy, Jake will loan you a t-shirt," Adam said.

Jake nodded and got up to start rummaging through his things. Sam stood up next to him, watching as his brothers headed to the lake.

"Will they be, uh…" Sam whispered.

"Naked?"

Sam nodded.

"Yeah," Jake told her. "Don't worry we'll stay under the water."

"You too?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Jake answered. "You won't know unless you start grabbin' for somethin'."

He grinned at the grimace on her face.

"I won't," Sam put her hands on her hips.

"Then what's the problem?" Jake asked. "We're your brothers, Brat. Guys swim naked."

"We've gone swimming and you wore shorts," Sam reminded him.

"I don't have shorts with me," Jake told her. "So it's either jeans or nothin'. It will be okay."

Sam raised her eyes to his. She did trust Jake. He was right, they were her brothers. She nodded and he handed her his t-shirt.

"Are you sorry you came?" Jake wondered.

"No," Sam shook her head. "I'm having fun."

"Okay, just come on down when you're dressed," Jake turned.

"Undressed," Sam corrected.

"No, _I'll_ be undressed," Jake teased and Sam stuck out her tongue at him. She heard Jake's laugh as he ran down to the lake, leaving her to change.

Sam stood on her tiptoes, checking to make sure that the boys couldn't see her from down at the lake. Then she started wiggling out of her clothes until she only had on her underwear. Then she slipped Jake's t-shirt over her head.

She stood on her tiptoes again to check to make sure all of the guys were in the lake. Not seeing anyone standing around, Sam started down.

"Hey Sammy," Quinn called to her. "Come on in, the water's fine."

Five Elys groaned at Quinn.

"Just jump in," Jake encouraged her. "Just like the lake we normally swim in."

Sam nodded, held her nose and jumped. Straight into the arms of Quinn. Sam squealed in surprise, but Quinn just laughed.

"Gotcha," Quinn teased her then tossed her over his shoulder.

Sam hit the water with a shriek. She came up coughing and sneezing.

"Way to go Quinn," Jake grumbled.

"You should have given her a chance to hold her nose, little brother," Adam told him.

"You okay, Sammy?" Kit asked.

"Sorry, Sammy," Quinn apologized. Sam splashed him.

Quinn splashed her back. Jake splashed Quinn. Bryan splashed Jake. Sam splashed Bryan. Nate splashed Kit. Adam splashed Quinn and they were soon all laughing as they got into a splashing fight.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Sam decided she had a good time camping with the six Ely brothers. They were packing up their things, making sure they weren't leaving anything behind.

She and Jake had shared the sleeping bag each night, his body heat keeping her warm. By the time they were done camping, it felt normal to Sam.

"I had a dream last night," Jake told her as they rolled their sleeping bags.

Sam looked over at him. "What about?"

"You," Jake said.

Sam stilled. She was surprised. Jake actually dreamed about her? What did that mean? All the teasing from everyone about his being her boyfriend rushed back to her.

"I dreamed about me too," Jake glanced at her.

Sam sat back, waiting for him to continue.

"I dreamed I was a horse," Jake grinned at her.

"A horse?" Sam repeated. "Did I ride you or something?"

"Nah," Jake's grin grew.

"What then?" Sam wondered.

"You were a mosquito," Jake laughed.

"What?" Sam yelped.

"You were a pesky mosquito," Jake held her off as she tried to hit him. "Buzz, buzz."

Sam leapt on him, Jake catching her hands as she swung at him. He held her down and tickled her as he continued to make buzzing noises.

Neither of them realized that his brothers were watching them. Kit and Adam exchanged glances. Nate was intrigued by the two youngsters. Quinn and Bryan were amused.

"That's not fair," Sam yelped with laughter as he tickled her. She was writhing under him as he knelt on her arms, pinning her down. Jake too was laughing.

"Whoa, give those two a few years…," Nate muttered.

"Exactly," Adam told him.

"We're anticipating that," Kit added.

"What do you say, Brat?" Jake urged.

Sam made a neighing sound, causing Jake to laugh harder.

"Buzz, buzz," Jake managed through his laughter.

Sam's sleeping bag unrolled again as the two of them continued to roll around.

"Ten years from now and I'd feel like a voyeur," Adam laughed as he shrugged and continued to load up the pack horses.

"Come on you two," Kit was laughing also. "You can continue this later."

"Can we watch when they do?" Nate chuckled. Adam and Kit burst out laughing. Quinn and Bryan looked confused.

"I'm sure they won't do it quite so out in the open," Adam joked.

"You never know," Kit snickered. "Come on horse, let her up." Kit grabbed Jake by the collar of his t-shirt, lifting him off of Sam.

Sam was still giggling and she neighed one more time.

"Remember mosquitoes get swatted," Jake teased. Kit let him go and helped up Sam.

"You have to catch the mosquito first," Sam stuck her tongue out at him, then neighed again.

"Buzz," Jake countered.

"Get your horses ready," Kit told them both.

Sam gave Jake a shove before she squatted down and started rolling her sleeping bag again. Jake shoved her back.

"This could go on all day," Quinn rolled his eyes.

"All year," Bryan corrected.

"I'd like to get home before dark," Kit told them.

"Got a hot date with Amy?" Nate asked.

"Nah, Michelle," Kit said.

"What happened to Amy?" Bryan inquired.

"She found out about Michelle," Kit laughed.

Sam finished with her sleeping bag and took it over to Adam. Adam tied it down on the pack horse. Jake was right behind her and handed his to Adam also.

"Buzz," Jake teased. Sam hit him.

"I didn't put my thumb in this time," Sam said proudly.

Jake rubbed his arm. "Yeah, I could tell."

"Let's go, guys," Kit swung up on his horse.

The rest of them followed suit and they headed back towards Three Ponies. Sam swore that she'd remember this fun time for the rest of her life.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"Hey Brat, whatcha doin'?" Jake asked some weeks later. He had been out riding and seen George in the shadow of the trees near the river. He had come over to see what was going on.

"Playing with a turtle," Sam answered from the ground, barely looking up at him.

"Yeah?" Jake dismounted. This is why he liked hanging around with Sam. She didn't do a lot of girly things.

He stooped down next to her to see the turtle.

"Cool," he picked it up to get a good look at it.

"Isn't he cute?" Sam asked.

Jake groaned. She didn't do a lot of girly things, but she said a lot of girly things sometimes.

"Yeah, that was exactly the word I was lookin' for," Jake teased.

"He _is_ cute," Sam insisted.

"Whatever you say, Brat," Jake put the turtle back down.

"I gave him a name," Sam told him.

"Oh? What's that?"

"Jake," Sam giggled.

"You named a turtle after me?" Jake squeaked.

"He looks like you," Sam said.

"Oh for…," Jake grumbled.

"He does," Sam persisted. "See?"

She held the turtle an inch from his face.

"He's brown but has a bit of black on top of his head," she pointed out.

Jake snorted.

"But you said he was cute," Jake teased.

"Yeah, Jake the turtle is cute," Sam teased back. She put the turtle back on the ground.

"Oh thanks," Jake rolled his eyes.

"You're cute too," Sam said. "Sometimes." She laughed.

Jake wasn't sure what surprised him more. That she named a turtle after him or that she had said he was cute.

He looked at her and she noticed. She tilted her head at him, trying to determine what he was thinking. There was no teasing glint in his eyes. All humor left her eyes.

Neither of them knew it was happening or why, but suddenly their lips met. Quickly, briefly. Then they both pulled away. Jake rubbed the back of his neck. Sam looked down at the turtle.

Jake could see her eyes flicking to the side, glancing at him out of the corner of her eyes.

"Let me see if I can find one and we can race 'em," Jake broke through the silence as if nothing had happened.

"Okay," Sam said.

Jake went to the water's edge, Sam's eyes on him. She had no idea what had just happened, she only knew that it felt right. She lightly touched her lips where his had been.

Could you be eight years old and find the perfect person for you? She was just a little girl and thinking little girl thoughts.

Jake glanced back at her to see her searching look. He pretended he didn't know what it was about and turned back to look for a turtle though his thoughts were in turmoil.

Could you be almost ten years old and find the perfect person for you? He doubted it, but he had never wanted to kiss a girl before like he had wanted to kiss Sam.

Jake shook himself and spied a turtle sticking his head out from under a rock. He grabbed it quickly, his hand coming up with it.

"Got one," Jake announced.

Sam smiled and whatever she had been thinking was gone from her face. They were just Jake and Sam, two friends. The other thing was put away to mull over and think about at a later time.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

"Ha!" Sam crowed. Her turtle had just beaten Jake's for the second time.

"You got my turtle by mistake," Jake complained.

"I did not," Sam laughed. "See?" She pointed to the black spot on its head. "This is Jake the turtle."

Jake couldn't help the twitch of his mouth. Sam saw it and started to giggle. Jake's twitch became a full blown smile. Normally, he hated girls that giggled, but Sam's made him smile. They glanced at each other almost as if they knew a secret.

_Which of course they did_, Jake thought. Only the two of them knew about _the kiss_. As far as Jake was concerned, for right now they would be the only ones that knew about it. He needed to do some thinking about this.

"Let's trade turtles," Jake suggested.

"No," Sam shook her head, snatching her turtle out of Jake's reach.

Jake had to laugh. She looked like she would hit him if he tried to grab her turtle from her. Then he laughed harder. She most definitely would. This was Sam and she hit him for a lot less.

"Can mine get a head start then?" Jake asked, teasingly.

"Nope," Sam shook her head. "Admit it, Jake is better."

"Can you not call the turtle Jake?" he asked.

"It looks like you," Sam protested.

"I do not look like a turtle," Jake huffed.

"Yes you do," Sam countered.

"Do not," Jake argued.

"Do too," Sam giggled.

"Brat," Jake groaned.

Sam shook her head. She was going to call this turtle Jake whether or not he liked it.

"You run fast, just like Jake the turtle," Sam pointed out.

Jake snorted. He couldn't help it.

"Haven't you ever heard of the tortoise and the hare?" Jake asked.

"What's a tort…?" Sam tilted her head to ask.

"Tort-us," Jake pronounced for her.

Sam nodded and murmured the word. Then she looked up at him. "So, what is it?"

"A big turtle," Jake responded. "You haven't heard that story?"

Sam shook her head. Jake explained it to her.

"Well my turtle isn't a tort-us," Sam pronounced both syllables distinctly. "He's a Shoshone turtle so he's fast."

"We better put them back or they'll dry out," Jake said.

Sam gave him a look, trying to determine if he was just saying that so he could get her turtle. He got up and put his turtle back in the river. Sam got up and did the same.

"Bye, Jake," she waved at the turtle.

"I haven't left yet," Jake teased.

"I'm saying bye to Jake the turtle," Sam shoved him.

Jake playfully shoved her back. Sam shoved him again, but he dodged her and she fell skinning her hand as she did.

He saw the tears in her eyes before she shut them.

"I'm sorry, Sam," Jake squatted down next to her. He looked at her hand, seeing the redness. She was trying really hard not to cry.

The hand wasn't bleeding, but she did have a rash from where the skin had been rubbed on the ground. It was red and he thought it looked painful.

"Come on, let's put it in the river," Jake suggested, helping her to her feet.

"You're not going to push me in are you?" Sam was hesitant as they got close to the river.

"'Course not," Jake sounded insulted. He tugged her down as he squatted down again and put her hand in the cool river.

Sam gasped and pulled it out again.

"It will feel better," Jake promised, his hand around her wrist and pushing her hand back into the river.

Sam wasn't strong enough to resist and had to admit that after a few minutes, it didn't sting anymore. She sniffled and Jake looked at her face, hating the fact that he had made her cry.

Jake could never stand it when Sam cried. It made him feel even worse when he was the cause.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Jake helped Sam up on George's back so she wouldn't have to use her hand for anything.

"Tell your Gram what happened so she'll wash it out," Jake instructed her, handing her the reins.

"Okay," Sam nodded. She reined George towards home and Jake watched her go. She looked over her shoulder once and he smiled at her and waved.

"Bye, Jake," she shouted a grin on her face.

"Are you saying bye to me or your turtle?" he called back.

"You, silly," Sam's peal of laughter rang out and Jake's smile broadened.

He swung up on his horse and headed towards Three Ponies. As he rode, he allowed his mind to wander back to the kiss he had given Sam. Or rather, they had given each other. Jake thought they had both gravitated towards each other at the same time.

The kiss wasn't as icky as he thought it would have been, but then again, it only lasted a second. Jake still couldn't see himself ever kissing a girl with his tongue like he'd seen Kit doing. Jake gave a small shiver at the thought.

Jake knew that Adam and Nate kissed girls too. He snorted. He had no doubt that Quinn and Bryan kissed girls. They were already girl crazy, more so than his older brothers had been at that age.

Heck, they were just a year older than he was and they were noticing girls. Quinn had already bragged that he had five girlfriends waiting for him this fall, when he would start the sixth grade. He had a few when he was in the fifth grade.

Jake would be starting the fifth grade and he couldn't say he really cared about girls. He liked Sam, but he really didn't notice other girls. He wondered if there was something wrong with him because of it.

He rode into Three Ponies and saw Kit in one of the pastures, riding a bucking horse. Dad had gotten a rank horse that refused to be ridden for Kit to practice on. Dad had given the other boys strict rules that they couldn't go near that horse.

Jake pulled his horse up and looped his reins over the hitching rail before climbing the pasture fence to watch his oldest brother. Kit was yipping, encouraging the horse to keep bucking. The horse did a barrel roll, doing his best to unseat Kit, but amazingly Kit held on.

Finally, Kit bailed off the horse to land on his feet in the pasture. He saw Jake watching him and he gave his youngest brother a smile.

"Hey, Jakey," Kit came trotting over, glancing every few feet behind him to make sure the horse wasn't coming after him. He climbed up on the rail next to Jake.

"Hey, nice ride," Jake told him.

"Where have you been?" Kit asked.

"Turtle racing with Sam," Jake responded.

"Oh yeah?" Kit laughed. "Who won?"

"Hers did," Jake frowned, causing Kit to laugh harder.

"Maybe you can have a rematch," Kit said.

Jake gave him a look and Kit knew he wanted to ask him something but was afraid to. Kit lost the laughter, trying to be serious for his little brother. He wondered what it was that was troubling Jake.

Kit watched as it seemed that Jake's attention wandered to the horse. Kit knew it didn't, but that's just how Jake worked. He was working in his mind what he wanted to say and whether he wanted to say it. Kit let him work it out without pressing him.

"When did you kiss a girl for the first time?" Jake finally asked.

Kit was surprised. He figured it had something to do with horses, not kissing girls.

"Did you kiss Sammy?" Kit had to ask.

Jake didn't look at him, still looking across the pasture but Kit could see it in the way Jake's eyes narrowed slightly. Jake gave the slightest of nods.

"Well you have me beat," Kit told him. "I didn't kiss a girl until I was eleven. How'd you like it?"

Jake shrugged. He still didn't look at Kit.

"Kissing girls is okay, Jake," Kit assured him. "As long as you didn't force it."

"I didn't," Jake murmured, now looking down.

"Did she slap you?" Kit asked.

Jake shook his head.

"Then she must not have cared that you did," Kit said.

Jake shook his head again.

"Did she like it?" Kit wondered.

Jake shrugged.

"Did she hit you afterwards?" Kit bit back a laugh. Jake's eyes slid to his, not appreciating Kit's amusement.

"No," Jake said.

"What's wrong, Jakey?" Kit asked. "You don't have to marry her just because you kissed her, you know."

Jake gave him a disgusted look.

"Though some girls think if you kiss them that you're going steady with them," Kit continued. Jake didn't react.

"Do you want to go steady with Sammy?" Kit had to ask.

"She's my friend," Jake said.

"You can go steady with your friend," Kit said. "Though I think you're both prolly a bit young to be going steady."

Jake looked at him.

"So you kissed your best friend," Kit shrugged. "At least it wasn't Darrell."

Jake almost fell off the fence in shock.

"Not that there's anything wrong with that," Kit hastened to add. He gave Jake what could only be described as a wolfish grin before they both started to laugh.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"Wanna go for a ride?" Jake asked Sam after he had ridden into River Bend one day.

"Sure," Sam nodded enthusiastically. "Let me get George."

"I'll get George, you go ask permission," Jake dismounted from his horse.

"Okay," Sam said, running into the house.

Jake let go an ear splitting whistle and George came to him. He had just gone into the barn to get Sam's tack when she came back outside. He looked at her as she ran up and nodded.

He left the bridle to her and put the saddle on George's back. Jake tightened the cinch and waited for Sam to climb up before he swung up on his horse.

"Where are we going?" Sam asked.

"No where special," Jake shrugged.

"Okay," Sam responded, letting George follow Jake's horse as they rode out.

Jake turned left towards Three Ponies.

"Are we going to Three Ponies?" Sam wondered.

"No," Jake shook his head.

"Oh," Sam murmured.

Jake gave her a superior look and a smug grin. Sam stuck her tongue out at him and he chuckled.

They rode along for awhile, passing the turnoff for Three Ponies. Jake never looked towards his ranch, he just kept riding. Sam followed behind.

"I've seen wild horses up ahead," he finally told her.

"Really?" Sam was enthusiastic.

"Nah, I'm lying," Jake teased with a grin. For a second he thought she'd stick her tongue out at him again, but she didn't.

"The only problem is we have to pass through witch's territory to get to them," Jake went on.

"Witches?" Sam's voice quivered.

Jake nodded. "There's this old lady that lives up ahead. She's a witch."

"Oh, she is not," Sam looked at him sure he was teasing her.

Jake made a cross over his heart. Sam gulped.

"You'll see," Jake said. "Won't be long now."

Sam moved George up closer to Jake. He nodded as he looked down at her.

It wasn't long before they saw the lavender house. Sam gasped. She had never seen a purple house before. Compared to the other ranch houses she had seen in the area, this one looked totally out of place. It was definitely spooky looking.

Jake took a trail that passed near the house. Sam could hear barking and George pranced nervously beneath her. There was an iron fence around the house with long spikes on top. The fence looked like a torture device to Sam.

Suddenly a woman appeared at the front door.

"What are you kids doing?" she yelled at them. "Get out of here."

There was a growl and two dogs were headed towards them, their snarling and growling loud to Sam despite the woman still yelling at them.

"Run," Jake clapped his heels to his horse who shot forward into a gallop.

Sam did the same and George was instantly running besides Jake's horse. She saw Jake turn to look behind them, judging how close the dogs were to them.

Sam started to turn to look too.

"No!" Jake shouted at her. He was afraid she would lose her balance and fall. "Keep riding."

_Oh gosh, those dogs must be right on George's heels_, Sam thought and urged her horse even faster.

A short time later Jake pulled his horse in and with a sigh, Sam did the same.

"Who is that lady?" Sam wondered.

"Mrs. Allen," Jake told her as his horse blew loudly.

"She _is_ a witch," Sam said.

"Yeah," Jake agreed. "I've heard she eats kids and whatever is left over she feeds to those devil dogs."

Sam gasped. She shuddered.

"We have to go by them again," Jake warned her, pulling up his horse.

Sam's eyes got huge in her face.

"Now though, go ahead and get down," Jake swung out of the saddle. Sam did the same and left George ground tied as she followed Jake.

He led her to a ridge and motioned for her to be quiet. Jake lay on his stomach and Sam followed suit.

Ahead of them was a herd of wild horses. The herd was led by the Phantom. Sam could see the light gray horse up on another ridge looking down at the herd.

Jake looked over at her and she smiled at him. He smiled back at her and they settled in to watch the horses.

A few hours later the herd moved on and the two young friends made their way back to where they had left their horses.

"That was so cool," Sam gushed.

"Yeah, I track them every once in awhile," Jake told her.

They swung back up on their horses and started back the way they had come. This time Sam was ready for the old lady and her dogs. The second the old lady came out to yell at them, Sam urged George faster.

With the dogs hot on their heels, the two horses and their riders made it safely beyond the reach of the snarling and growling devil dogs.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Jake was standing at the bus stop with Quinn and Bryan for the first day of school. They saw Sam's Gram's big yellow Buick heading their way.

"How come Sammy gets a ride to the bus stop yet we have to walk?" Bryan grumbled.

"She's what? Eight?" Quinn said to him. "I'm sure her folks don't want an eight year old walking that far by herself in the morning."

"We did," Bryan reminded him.

"Yeah with four brothers," Jake responded.

"Hey, Sammy," Quinn greeted her when she had kissed her Gram and come out of the car. "Still carrying that wussy pink backpack, huh?"

Sam rolled her eyes at him. The three Elys laughed.

"It's cute," Sam told them.

Jake looked at her, remembering when she had told him that her turtle she had named after him was cute. Then she had said he was cute sometimes. Their first and only kiss had happened that day.

After Jake had talked to Kit about it, he didn't feel as weird as he had. He didn't consider Sam his girlfriend, just still his friend, despite that they had briefly kissed. Kit had thought it was normal.

They heard the bus in the distance and the boys grabbed their backpacks from the ground where they had laid them. Quinn tried to get in front of Sam, who tried to push him back. When she couldn't move him and he just laughed at her, she stomped on his foot.

"Ow," Quinn jumped up and down in pain.

"Humph," Sam gave him a satisfied look. She was the first one on the bus when it stopped. She ran to the back, taking the seat that Quinn usually sat in.

"Hey, that's not fair," Quinn told her.

Bryan and Jake chuckled. Bryan scooted onto the seat next to Sam. Quinn gave his twin a look as if he were a traitor. Bryan put his arm around Sam's shoulder and grinned at his twin.

Jake slid onto the seat in front of them, Quinn next to him.

"I'll remember this Sammy," Quinn turned in his seat to tell her. "I think I liked it better when you sat in the front seats."

"Babies sit there," Sam sniffed, lifting her head.

"Well gosh knows, you're eight so you're not a baby anymore, right?" Quinn scoffed.

"I'm not a baby," Sam protested.

"Stop it," Jake muttered at Quinn.

"Sticking up for your girlfriend again, huh Jake?" Quinn teased.

Jake gave him a look.

"Quinn," Bryan warned him under his breath.

"Well he is," Quinn said with a shrug.

Sam punched Quinn's shoulder.

"Ow," Quinn pulled away from her.

Jake gave him a sarcastic grin. "You taught her to hit properly," he reminded his brother.

"Why didn't you warn me not to?" Quinn asked.

"I did," Jake gave his brother a lopsided grin.

"Oh yeah, you did," Quinn laughed.

"Sammy, you need to forget everything I taught you," Quinn turned around again.

Sam hit him again. "Okay."

All three Elys snorted.

"Something tells me you're not going to listen to me, Sammy," Quinn said.

"Really?" Sam tilted her head at him.

Jake's mouth twitched. Quinn saw it and grinned. This is why Sam fit into their family so well and why they all loved her like a sister.

"Pretty sad when I have to graduate the sixth grade in order to feel safe again," Quinn pretended to grumble.

"Maybe you'll flunk," Sam told him.

Jake burst out laughing, along with Bryan.

"Oh no, trust me," Quinn responded. "I'm graduating so I won't get hit anymore. It's incentive."

"I can still hit you when I come visit Three Ponies," Sam pointed out.

"That's right, she could," Bryan said to his twin.

"What makes you think you're invited?" Quinn teased.

Sam's face crumbled. Bryan saw it.

"Quinn!" Bryan called his brother's attention to Sam's reaction.

Jake turned in his seat to see what was going on.

"Sammy, I'm just kidding," Quinn promised.

Jake gave Quinn a look that would have made anyone else nervous.

"You idiot," Jake muttered under his breath.

Sam's bottom lip was trembling.

"Sam, you're always welcome at Three Ponies," Bryan told her.

Sam met his eyes, then her eyes flicked to Jake's. He nodded.

"Sammy, I'm sorry," Quinn told her. "I was only teasing you."

She looked at Quinn and nodded slowly.

When they arrived at school, Sam got by Bryan and went down the aisle first. The Elys watched her go.

"You can't tease her like that, Quinn," Jake said.

"We're the only siblings she has," Bryan put in.

"My gosh, did you see her face?" Quinn shook his head as they got off the bus. "I felt horrible."

"Good," Jake gave him one last look and headed into the school.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

"Hey, isn't that your little neighbor girl?" Darrell asked Jake while they were out for recess after lunch.

Jake looked to where Darrell was pointing and grumbled to himself. Sam was being pushed around by some older girls. They looked to be fifth or sixth graders to him.

He hated to get involved since he was a guy, but he certainly didn't want Sam hurt either.

"Yeah, that's Samantha," Jake told Darrell.

"She looks to be holding her own," Darrell commented.

"So far," Jake murmured, continuing to watch.

He wasn't sure what had started it, but the older girls seemed to want to take Sam's jump rope. Her friend Ann was shouting at the older girls, but they were ignoring her to go after Sam.

Knowing Sam as he did, she probably threatened to hit them which had made the older girls concentrate on her.

"What's going on with Sammy?" Quinn had come up to ask Jake.

"Dunno," Jake shrugged.

"Isn't that Katrina?" Bryan asked Quinn.

Quinn looked closer and sure enough, one of the girls picking on Sam was one of his girlfriends.

"I'll take care of it," Quinn told Jake. "Go grab Sam."

Jake nodded and trailed Quinn.

"Hey Katrina," Quinn flashed her one of his winning grins.

Just like a switch, the older girl who definitely was the leader of the group, stopped harassing Sam.

"Hi Quinn," she flirted.

Jake grabbed Sam just as she began to swing her fist at Katrina. He wrapped his arms around Sam and picked her up, carrying her kicking and swinging away from the group of older girls.

He couldn't help the chuckle as she struggled to get away. Ann was trailing behind them with Darrell.

"Hold on, Brat," Jake told her. "You don't want to get suspended for fighting, do you?"

"They picked on me," Sam responded, still trying to get away from him.

"Then lucky me that I rescued them," Jake teased.

He put her feet back on the ground and grabbed her arm when she tried to get by him.

"Your dad will ground you if you get into a fight," he reminded her. "Is that what you want?"

"Let's forget it, Sam," Ann said.

Jake could tell Sam was debating what she should do. Maybe it wasn't a good thing that she hung around with them. She was getting even more feisty than she normally was.

"Come on, let's jump rope," Ann suggested. She started towards the other side of the playground.

Sam looked at Ann, then back at the older group of girls who were preening and flirting with Quinn, then up at Jake. Jake raised an eyebrow at her. She looked at Ann, then back at the group of girls again before stomping her foot and following Ann.

"That one is going to be a handful when she's older," Darrell laughed.

"She's a handful now," Jake shook his head as he watched her start jumping rope with Ann.

Once he made sure she was all right, he and Darrell wandered back towards Quinn.

"Katrina, you know I love ya, but that's my little sister," Quinn was telling the ringleader.

"You don't have a sister, Quinn," Katrina responded.

"Yes we do," Bryan told her.

"My twin here is right for once in his life," Quinn said with a disarming grin. "Samantha is our little sister and she's off limits to bullying."

Katrina looked to where Sam was and Jake saw something in her face which made him turn back towards Sam. He snorted to see Sam giving Katrina the stink eye while she was jumping rope. That was his Brat all right.

That thought jolted Jake for a moment. He blanked out his expression in case anyone was watching him. Jake needed to think about that later when he was alone.

"At least she's off limits if you ever want another kiss," Quinn's voice took on a silky smooth tone, snapping Jake out of his reverie about Sam.

Bryan looked at Darrell and then Jake and with his back turned towards the girls, pretended to put his finger down his throat. Darrell and Jake started to laugh.

"Okay, Quinn," Katrina gushed. "Anything but that."

Quinn flashed her another winning grin. "We'll practice later."

"Okay, Quinn," Katrina said again.

"Anyone else gonna be sick?" Bryan muttered as the four guys left the girls.

"Does she honestly buy all that?" Darrell had to ask.

"You bet," Quinn grinned at him. Then he winked.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Jake was quiet as he walked home with Quinn and Bryan from the bus stop. He was thinking about Sam again and his thoughts about her being _his_ brat.

When had he gotten possessive about her?

Sure, she was probably his best friend but she certainly wasn't his. He wasn't even ten years old and he was thinking that Sam was his?

Jake glanced at his brothers as they walked. This wasn't something he could discus with either of them. Maybe Kit. Even then, he'd be embarrassed.

He shook his head slightly.

"No, you don't want to go riding?" Bryan asked him.

"What?" Jake yelped.

"Earth to Jakey," Quinn waved his hand in front of Jake's face. "Where you at little brother?"

"Just thinkin' about some things," Jake murmured.

"I asked if you wanted to go riding later," Bryan told him.

"Sure," Jake nodded.

"I'll lay some tracks for you if you want," Bryan offered.

"Great, thanks," Jake responded.

"I'll go, but after I check on the mare," Quinn said. One of the Three Ponies mares was in foal and the foal had been promised to Quinn. He hoped it would be born near his and Bryan's birthdays on May twentieth.

When they reached home, the three boys broke into a run. Quinn turned towards the twenty acre pasture to check on the pregnant mare. She came to the fence when he whistled for her. He let himself into the pasture and ran his hands over her.

Jake and Bryan hurried to the house. If they got their few chores done before Mom or Dad got home then they could go riding until dinner. If Mom or Dad got home before they were gone, then their parent would either assign them more chores, make them do their homework early or just not let them go. The boys had learned to quickly drop off their backpacks, do their chores and get out.

Jake had his coat and backpack off before he reached the front door. He knew Bryan was right behind him as he ran down the hallway to his room. He pulled off his good boots and had his school jeans off right after.

He took a chance by just tossing his jeans on his bed, but he did it hoping Mom didn't see them. She'd give him a lecture about putting away his clothes.

He'd put them away later. Right now, he just wanted to get his chores done and go riding.

Riding was the most important thing in Jake's life. There was no doubt of that to him. His family, Sam and his friends came after though he'd never tell any of them that.

Jake was out of his school jeans and into jeans he could play in, shoving his feet into his scuffed boots. He was already heading back outside to complete his chores when he passed Quinn in the kitchen.

"Wow, you're quick today," Quinn told him.

"I want to get out there," Jake responded, grabbing a coat, putting on his black Stetson and running out to the barn. He had three stalls to clean before he could leave.

Jake almost attacked the stalls in his hurry to get them done. Even if Bryan didn't lay tracks for him, Jake wanted to saddle his horse and ride until it was time for dinner.

He knew where one of the local wild horse herds hung out and he liked to spend time just observing them. By doing so, he felt it helped him in his endeavor of becoming a horse trainer. Jake thought that if you didn't understand horse behavior, then you shouldn't be training them.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Jake lay on the ground, watching the herd. He had tracked Bryan successfully and the twins had gone off to do something on their own. Jake had taken that opportunity to lose them and go check out the horses.

He was upwind of the herd, so they didn't know he was there. His horse was tied up far away from where he was at. Jake had made sure that he had taken one of the geldings so the stallion wouldn't smell a mare.

Jake knew that mares cycled, making them smell good for the stallion, but he didn't understand why. Oh he knew about breeding, he had seen cattle and horses breed often enough, but he didn't understand the ins and outs of it.

All he knew is that if he wanted to observe the herd, it was best to come out on a gelding.

One time he had brought one of the mares, not realizing that she was cycling and therefore attracting the stallion. Jake had almost lost that mare, only his shouting and waving his arms had kept that stallion from stealing the mare from him. Wouldn't he love to explain that one to Dad!

Right now, the herd was just grazing. Jake could see that the coats were starting to get fuzzy, indicating that winter was coming. The horses had lost their sleek appearance.

One of the mares must have crossed an invisible line between her and the lead mare because all of a sudden the lead mare attacked the other mare. Jake lifted his head as the first mare turned tail to the lead mare and kicked out. That made the lead mare snap her jaws at the first mare, connecting with skin. The first mare squealed as she suffered a nasty bite. The lead mare then bit the first mare again.

The first mare started to run away from the lead mare. The lead mare followed biting the rump of the first mare. Suddenly the stallion was rushing down from his lookout position. His head was lowered in a snaking, herding motion. Both mares turned from him, running back to the herd. It was the stallion's turn to nip both mares.

Jake felt the wind shift a second before the stallion slid to a stop, his head lifted towards Jake. Jake stilled, not wanting the stallion to charge him. Just Jake's eyes moved as he found the nearest tree in case he needed to get away quickly.

The stallion struck out with a foreleg at the same time he uttered a challenging neigh. Jake heard his gelding neigh back. Shoot!

Jake slowly got to his feet, keeping his eyes on the stallion. Jake broke into a run when the stallion shot forward.

His arms pumping, listening for the hoofbeats behind him, Jake ran for his life. His legs were like pistons as he ran. Up, down, up, down, he reached for even more speed in his legs.

Jake reached the tree and swung up onto the lowest branch just as the stallion reached him. Jake felt the bite on his leg and yelled, screaming at the top of his lungs at both the pain and in hope that his yelling would frighten the stallion off.

Once the stallion let go of his leg, Jake scrambled up the tree ignoring the pain in the bitten leg. The horse had torn his jeans. Jake understood that once a horse made to bite, it couldn't stop which is why he had to wait for the horse to open his mouth back up before getting away.

Grandfather had told him that was how most people got injured by horses, trying to pull away when being bitten. The horse couldn't stop and by pulling away, the person forced the skin to rip worse than it would have with just the bite. Jake silently thanked his Grandfather as he sat panting in the tree, now out of range of the rearing stallion.

The silver horse screamed challenge after challenge at Jake as he sat in the tree. Jake didn't move, afraid to aggravate the horse and the bite that he had received.

The stallion finally snorted at Jake and he heard the answering snort from his tied gelding. The stallion raced off towards where Jake had left his horse. He heard squealing then the sound of retreating hooves. Jake would bet that his horse had seen the stallion coming for him and pulled loose to head for home.

Jake knew he had a long walk ahead of him, but still he didn't move until the stallion came back and stood under the tree once again. He neighed a challenge and when Jake didn't respond, the horse ran back to his herd.

The herd scattered as the stallion ran through his mares, nipping and biting them to get them out ahead of him. Jake watched as they disappeared and gave a sigh of relief.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

He started to climb down, feeling the pain from the bite he had received from the stallion. Jake held his breath, biting his lip as he jumped to the ground. The pain in his leg almost made him shout as he dropped.

Jake bent over trying to catch his breath and get control over the pain. He knew he had to look at it and assess the damage. Hopefully the horse didn't break the skin.

He unbuckled his belt and then unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans, pulling them down to get a look at the bite. It was a bad one. The horse had broken through the skin. It was red and angry looking, the blood dripping down his leg.

Well there wasn't anything he could do about it now except get home and let his parents get it cleaned up. Jake started walking towards Three Ponies. He checked the position of the sun in the sky and knew he wouldn't make it home before dark. Jake knew his parents would be worried when he didn't show up for dinner.

Hours later, Jake thought he heard someone calling his name. His breathing had become so loud as he walked, he stopped to listen.

"Jakey!" it sounded like Adam.

"Here!" Jake shouted as loudly as he could.

"Jake!" he heard again.

Jake let out a piercing whistle which was answered immediately by the same. He decided to stay where he was and let those looking for him come to him. It would be easier to find each other that way.

Jake heard another whistle which he answered. A few minutes later, he could hear the hooves of a horse as they got close.

"Jake?" Adam's voice was nearby.

"Here," Jake responded.

"You okay, little man?" Adam asked as he pulled up in front of Jake.

"Yeah," Jake answered.

"Anything broken?"

"Nah," Jake replied.

Adam held out his hand and Jake took it while Adam pulled him up to sit behind his big brother. They started for home.

"So, what happened?" Adam asked.

"I'm not as fast as I thought I was and got caught by a stallion," Jake told him.

"What?" Adam yelped.

Jake told him what had happened.

"Are you bleeding?"

"Yeah," Jake nodded.

"You're going to need a shot," Adam predicted.

"Why?"

"Tetanus," Adam informed him. "Horses carry it."

"Shoot," Jake grumbled.

"They burn like a son of a gun too," Adam said.

"Gee, thanks for telling me that," Jake muttered. Adam chuckled.

"Mom freaked when your horse came home without you," Adam told him.

"Great," Jake groaned. "Dad mad?"

"Nah, though he mentioned that the horse came in bridleless," Adam laughed.

"There goes my allowance for the next ten years," Jake said, frowning behind Adam.

They heard another whistle and Adam's piercing whistle cut through the air.

"Sounds like Quinn," Adam said.

"Terrific," Jake complained. "Not only will my allowance be gone for the next ten years, I'll hear about this from him too."

"Undoubtedly," Adam told him with a chuckle.

"Hey, little man," Quinn's voice reached him. "Lose anything?"

Adam laughed at Jake's low groan.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

"Where's Jake?" Sam asked the next day at the bus stop. She had been surprised to just see Quinn and Bryan.

"He had a bit of fun last night and Mom decided he should stay home," Quinn told her.

"Huh?"

"Jake got mauled by a horse," Bryan explained.

"What's that?" Sam asked.

"Bitten," Quinn responded.

Sam paled.

"He had to go to the hospital and have a shot and stitches," Bryan said.

They climbed on the bus when it arrived and the three of them went towards the back. Sam sat in the seat in front of the twins.

"Poor Jake," Sam murmured.

"Yeah, he was hurting pretty bad last night," Quinn told her. "They got home late from the hospital and he could barely walk."

They could see the alarm in her eyes as she looked at them.

"He'll be okay, Sammy," Bryan assured her.

Sam nodded, turning away before they could see the wetness in her eyes. It wasn't quick enough. Bryan's and Quinn's eyes met.

"Really, he will be okay," Quinn said. "I bet he'll be back to school tomorrow or the next day."

"Hey, I know," Bryan put his hand on Sam's shoulder. "Maybe Kit can pick you up on his way home and bring you over to see Jakey."

Sam perked up, causing the twins' eyes to meet again. They knew that Kit had said something that he felt that Jake and Sam would end up together when they got older. Adam had said the same thing. Seeing the way Sam was reacting to the news that Jake had been hurt, made them wonder if their older brothers were onto something.

"We'll ask him later," Bryan promised. "I'm sure he'll come over to get you, or maybe your Gram can bring you by and he'll drive you home."

Quinn nodded and Sam gave a weak smile.

It was strange for Sam to be at school and not see Jake. She saw his friend Darrell at lunch talking to Quinn and Bryan. She waved at them as she and Ann went by their table.

"Try not to pick on the older girls today, Sammy," Bryan teased. "Jake's not here to protect them."

Sam snorted. "I'll try."

"That one is a handful," Darrell said admiringly.

"Yeah, she is," Quinn agreed. "She's a good kid though. Even for a girl."

"I never thought I'd ever see Jake friends with a girl," Darrell murmured.

"She's a tomboy," Bryan told him.

"He'd never give her another thought if she was a prissy thing," Quinn said.

"The only thing prissy about Sam is her pink backpack," Bryan laughed.

"She'll be in high school and still have that wussy pink pony backpack," Quinn predicted.

The three guys laughed, picturing it in their minds.

"Ready to punch anyone out who dares make fun of it," Bryan put in.

"Oh, yeah," Quinn nodded.

The three guys looked over to where Sam was sitting and eating her sandwich. She glanced up to see them looking at her. She stuck her tongue out at them causing the guys to laugh.

"She's sassy," Bryan said.

"I hope Jake likes 'em sassy," Quinn laughed.

"Jake?" Darrell wondered.

"Yeah, Kit and Adam are betting that he and Sammy will end up together when they're older," Quinn told him.

"Really?" Darrell murmured, looking back over at Samantha. Well, Jake did seem awfully protective of her. Maybe his older brothers were right.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

"Jake, Sam's here," Kit called to him when they came into the house. The twins had told Kit that they thought he might go and pick Sam up so she could come visit Jake. Kit had called River Bend, making arrangements with Sam's Gram so Sam could come over to Three Ponies.

"In here," Jake was in the family room watching TV.

"Hi," Sam smiled at him as she came in.

"Hey," Jake greeted her, seeing Kit's grin behind Sam.

"Quinn said you got ma, um, mo…," Sam couldn't remember the word.

"Mauled?" Kit suggested.

"Malled," Sam pronounced to herself and gave a nod.

"I wouldn't say mauled," Jake corrected.

"Bit?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, I got bit," Jake nodded.

"Can I see it?" Sam wondered.

Jake heard Kit snort. Jake had to grin.

Jake lifted the leg of his sweat pants and Sam gasped. It had a bandage over it, but she could see the bruising around the bite.

"I got five stitches," Jake bragged.

"Yeah?" Sam was impressed. "That's cool. When can you come back to school?"

"Prolly tomorrow," Jake answered.

"Quinn told me you weren't there to protect the older girls so I couldn't hit them," Sam plopped down on the couch next to him.

Jake laughed. Sam giggled.

"Wanna play a video game?" Jake asked.

"Sure," Sam nodded enthusiastically.

That's where Maxine found them when she got home from work. She watched them briefly from the doorway leading from the kitchen into the family room and couldn't help the soft smile.

The two of them were teasing each other as they played the video game. Jake killed one of her players and trash talked her as he did it. Sam stuck her tongue out at him, not giving up nor did she give in to him. She gave it right back to him as she wiped out a player of his.

"You kids having fun?" Maxine asked.

"Yeah, I'm killing Sam," Jake told her with a shout.

"Jake Ely!" Maxine yelped. "That's not a nice thing to say."

"But I am," Jake bit his lip in concentration.

"Ha!" Sam laughed as she got another of his players.

"Lucky shot," Jake scoffed.

Both of them knew it was, but Sam refused to acknowledge it.

With another smile, Maxine went down the hallway that led to the room she shared with Luke, to change out of her good clothes.

They were still at it when Maxine came back out.

"Are you staying for dinner, Samantha?" Maxine asked.

Sam glanced at Jake who gave her an encouraging look.

"Yes, ma'am," Sam sent Mrs. Ely a smile. Maxine returned it.

Maxine loved that Jake and Sam were friends. She felt Samantha was good for Jake. That Sam would be good for Jake for years to come. She remembered how Mac had felt that Jake and Sam would come to love each other some day. Maxine hoped so.

She had been friends with Sam's mother. Maxine had mourned Sam's mom when she had died. To her it would be full circle for Sam to join her family some day.

Of course, Maxine didn't have much to say about it. It would depend on Jake and it would depend on Sam. So much could happen between now and then, but she was hopeful.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Jake was at the bus stop the next day. Sam gave him a smile when she saw him.

"How's your leg?" Sam asked as she rushed up.

"Fine," Jake told her. "It's not a big deal, Brat."

She knew better, but she also knew Jake and knew he'd never make a fuss over it.

"Jakey gets out of gym for a few days," Bryan told her.

"Lucky you," Sam said to her friend.

Jake shrugged. He didn't mind gym. It gave him a chance to climb the huge rope that hung from the ceiling and play basketball. To Jake, gym was just like recess but a whole hour.

The bus arrived and Jake ended up sharing a seat with Sam. He ignored the knowing looks from the twins. He regularly sat with Sam, so why were they giving him looks today?

Next year they'd be gone to middle school and it would just be him at the elementary school. Oh and Sam. In a way he was looking forward to it. He didn't really need them to look out for him anymore. Most of the students knew of the Ely brothers and didn't try to antagonize them.

He did worry about Sam once he moved on to middle school. She'd be alone in elementary school. Of course, he almost snorted, she knew how to hit if anyone tried anything with her. Again, Jake thought that maybe it hadn't been a good idea for them to teach her how to hit. Especially when he was usually on the receiving end.

Sam looked over at him and saw the small smile on his lips. The smile transformed his face. She thought Jake was cute anyway, but with the smile tugging on his mouth he looked really cute.

Jake felt her eyes on him and glance over to see her quickly avert her eyes from him. Was that a blush on her face? He was curious as to the cause, but didn't say anything or tease her about it.

When they reached school, the four of them got off the bus. Sam noticed Jake limping a bit as he walked. Jake saw the concern in her eyes.

"It's okay, Brat," Jake assured her. "Just a bit stiff."

"Yeah, me too," Quinn smirked as he walked by the two of them to head towards a group of girls.

Jake gave him a look.

"Did Quinn fall off his horse or something?" Sam asked. Bryan was walking by and snorted.

"I wish," Jake grumbled. "Ignore him, he's an idiot."

He could see the confusion on Sam's face, but there was no way he was going to explain it to her.

"See you later," Jake limped away, seeing Darrell up ahead.

Sam trailed after him, passing Quinn and his harem.

"See ya, Pinky," Quinn teased. Sam stuck her tongue out at him causing him to laugh.

"Why do you even talk to her?" one of the girls asked.

Sam turned to look at who it was that said it. She thought it was a fourth grader that she had seen on the playground. Even for elementary school, the girl was everything Sam was not. Not a blond hair out of place and her clothes looked to be the latest fad.

Sam looked down at her jeans and sweater. Her hair was a weird shade of reddish-brown more appropriate for a horse than a little girl. Sam hung her head, feeling very plain.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

"Hey Sammy," Bryan greeted her as she walked by him and Quinn at lunch. They were sitting at a table of friends, including the harem of girls vying for the guys' attention.

Sam's eyes slid away quickly. Bryan and Quinn watched and wondered what was going on with her. They looked at each other then shrugged.

Sam didn't even look at Jake, as she normally did, when she walked by the table he was sitting at with Darrell and their friends. Jake didn't say anything to her, which was normal, but he had seen the exchange between her and his brothers.

He watched as she sat at a table by herself and took her lunch out of her pink backpack. Jake didn't see the friend that Sam normally ate with. She must be absent today.

Jake saw Sam pull her hair forward as sort of a shield and wondered at it. He could tell by the way she had walked by that she was feeling down for some reason. This action with the hair just cemented that for him.

He looked over to where Quinn and Bryan were. They were too busy with all their girlfriends to pay much attention to anything else. Jake glanced over again at Sam who took a sip of her chocolate milk. Was that a tear that just dripped off her face?

Jake gave a long-suffering sigh, not sure what to do. He didn't want to call attention to her if she was crying but then again, he didn't want to see her cry either.

"What's the matter, man?" Darrell asked.

"Nothin'," Jake shook his head, turning back to his friends.

He couldn't help that he kept glancing over at her. She had kept her head down all during lunch, only raising it enough to sip her milk. Her hair stayed around her face, making it impossible for him to see her expression to get a clue as to what was going on.

When they left the lunchroom to go out for recess, he looked for Sam on the playground. He didn't see her anywhere.

"What are you looking for?" Darrell asked.

"Nothin'," Jake said.

Just as he was about to give up, he spied a splash of pink. That wussy pink backpack, as Quinn called it, was good for something.

"I'll be right back," Jake told Darrell and headed for it. Darrell watched him go, shaking his head at his friend. For all Jake's insistence that the little neighbor girl wasn't his girlfriend, he sure spent a lot of time worry about her.

Jake crossed the playground, not letting the pink backpack out of his sight. He reached out to grab Sam's arm when he reached her, surprising her judging by the look upon her face as she turned.

"What's wrong?" Jake asked.

Sam's eyes slid away from his, but not before he saw what he thought was sadness in them.

"Nothing is wrong," Sam insisted.

"Where's your friend?" Jake wondered.

"Ann?" Sam asked. At Jake's nod she said, "She didn't come in today."

"So why have you been cryin'?"

Sam denied it.

"Come on, Brat," Jake said. "I know you well enough to know when you've been cryin'. Did someone say somethin'?"

Sam shook her head.

Jake tilted his head, trying to catch her eyes. Sam avoided his attempt. He kept looking at her and finally her eyes slid to his. She shook her head again.

"Tell me later?" Jake asked.

"Maybe," Sam answered.

"You're okay?"

Sam nodded.

"You'd tell me?"

Sam nodded again.

"Just don't hit anyone," Jake teased.

Sam hit him and Jake chuckled as he rubbed his arm.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

Jake didn't mention anything on their way home, but he caught Sam's eyes a few times. When the bus let them off at their stop he let his brothers go on ahead and he grabbed Sam's arm, making her wait.

"Do you want to tell me now?" Jake asked.

Sam shook her head. How do you tell a boy that you feel plain? That you'll never be as cute as some of those other girls that it seemed boys were attracted to more than they could ever be to her.

Boys just wouldn't understand, even Jake.

"I'll come by later and we'll ride," Jake said, not waiting for Sam to respond before he ran after his brothers. Quinn and Bryan turned to see him running after them and they took off running. Jake caught them easily.

Sam had to smile. Jake sure was fast when he ran. He could run for a long time too compared to most guys his age or even a bit older like his brothers.

Gram had sugar cookies waiting for Sam when she walked in the door. Sam grabbed a one and scooted a chair over so she could get a glass down from the cupboard. Then she pulled the chair back and got out the milk.

Sam dipped one of the cookies in the milk and took a bite. She moaned. This was exactly what she had needed after feeling so plain and ugly all day. Not that the cookies and milk made her feel pretty, but they helped her to feel better emotionally.

"That you, Samantha?" Gram called from her room.

"Yes, Gram," Sam returned. "I'm having cookies."

Gram came in wiping her hands on her apron. "How was your day, dear?"

Sam tried not to frown. "Fine."

Gram tilted her head at her granddaughter, but let it pass. "Will you collect the eggs for me and feed the chickens?"

"Yes, Gram," Sam nodded. She finished a cookie and drank the rest of her milk before heading up to her room to change out of the clothes she had worn to school.

She rushed back down the stairs to put her feet into her riding boots which were near the front door.

"If you go riding, wear a coat," Gram told her.

"Okay," Sam agreed and ran out to do her chores.

She was just about done when Jake rode in over the bridge. Sam couldn't stop the frown as she remembered what had upset her today.

Jake saw the frown and wondered what was going on with her. He was determined to ask her as they rode.

"Hey," Jake rode up close to her as she stood in the ranch yard.

"Hey," Sam said to him. "I need to feed the chickens."

"Go ahead, I'll saddle George for you," Jake told her.

Surprised, Sam nodded and went into the barn to get the chicken feed. She heard Jake's shrill whistle as he went into the pasture to catch her horse.

They crossed paths as Sam came out of the barn with the chicken feed and Jake went in to get George's tack. Jake pretended to stick his foot out to trip her and Sam punched his arm.

"Not nice, Brat," Jake teased. "I may put a burr under your saddle."

"Nah, you'd never do that to George," Sam laughed.

Jake laughed, knowing she was right. She knew him too well.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

"So, what was bothering you today?" Jake asked Sam as they rode.

Sam gave him a look. "You hate it when I tell you things."

Jake shrugged. "You're my friend."

They rode along while Sam debated with herself. She guessed it couldn't hurt to ask him a boy question. She stole a look at him, but he wasn't looking at her. Sam knew he was treating her like a skittish horse and she snorted.

Jake did look at her then.

"Why do boys like girls with blond hair?" Sam blurted out.

She could tell Jake was surprised. His jaw dropped a second before it tightened up again.

"I'm not sure they do," Jake shrugged.

"Seems like it," Sam murmured. Jake looked at her sharply.

"You thinkin' of dying your hair?" Jake asked.

Sam shook her head. "Your mom is blond."

"Which means what?" Jake wondered.

"Your brothers like them too," Sam pointed out.

"You like one of my brothers?" Jake yelped.

It was Sam's turn for her jaw to drop. "No!"

"Then why do you care?" Jake asked.

Sam looked away. Jake rubbed the back of his neck, out of his element.

"They're so pretty," Sam barely whispered. "Everyone notices them."

"You want to be noticed?" Jake inquired. "By who?" This was totally foreign to Jake who hated to be noticed.

Sam shrugged.

"Brat, what's going on?" Jake asked.

She didn't answer.

"Is this why you were so sad today?"

Sam looked over at him and he could read it in her eyes. Jake sighed.

"Remember when we met?"

Sam nodded.

"Know what I noticed?"

"What?" Sam asked him.

"Your hair was the same color as my horse," Jake said.

Sam looked at him.

"Then I noticed you weren't afraid of frogs," Jake grinned. "The important things."

Sam snorted.

"He's my horse now," Sam responded.

"And your hair is still the same color," Jake pointed out.

"I'm still not afraid of frogs," Sam said.

"Or turtles," Jake replied.

"I wonder if Jake is still in the river," Sam mused.

"No, I'm on my horse," Jake joked.

Sam looked over at him and smiled, knowing what he was doing.

"Wanna run?" Jake asked.

"Nah," Sam said just as she urged George to start to gallop.

George shot forward, leaving Jake laughing as he urged his horse to follow. George held the lead for a short time before Jake's horse, with his longer legs and bigger stride, went by Sam's horse.

The two of them thundered over the playa, shouting insults to each other and laughing as they did. They ended up near War Drum Flats and both pulled up their horses as if they had discussed it earlier.

The horses waded into the small lake and drank their fill.

"A blond wouldn't have done that," Jake told her as he relaxed on his horse.

"No?" Sam responded.

Jake shook his head.

"Maybe it's a good thing I'm not blond then," Sam mused, looking out over the lake.

"You're different," Jake said to her. "Different is good. Being the same as everyone else is boring."

For Sam, it was good enough for now. Leave it to Jake to make her feel better and wanted for herself.

"How's your leg?" Sam asked him.

"Okay," Jake said.

"Was it the Phantom that bit you?" Sam wondered.

"Yeah," Jake nodded.

The two of them started back. Jake would ride with her to River Bend before turning for home.

"Where did the Phantom come from?"

Jake shrugged. "Grandfather says there's always been a gray stallion out here."

"Really?" Sam asked.

"That's what he says," Jake responded. "I don't know for sure, but if Grandfather says so, it's usually true."

"He knows a lot about horses, doesn't he?"

"Yeah," Jake nodded. He looked over at Sam as if he were holding in a secret.

"What?"

"Can you keep a secret?" Jake asked.

"Of course," Sam nodded encouragingly.

"You know Quinn's getting the foal our mare is carrying," Jake said.

Sam nodded.

"Dad says I can have the next one when he breeds her back," Jake continued.

"Oh, Jake!" Sam was excited for him.

"I'll train it myself," Jake told her.

"It will be a great foal," Sam predicted.

Jake nodded, hoping her prediction came through for him.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

"Are you coming over this evening?" Jake asked Sam during lunch on his birthday.

"If I'm invited," Sam answered.

"I'm inviting you now," Jake rolled his eyes.

"Okay," Sam responded. "Are we playing football?"

"Prolly," Jake told her. "It's a school night so Kit won't be out on a date."

"It will be fun," Sam said. "I don't get to play football with you guys much anymore."

"They're busy," Jake shrugged. Then he gave her a grin. "You know, you didn't have to dress up for my birthday."

Sam looked down at the skirt she was wearing.

"I didn't," she told him.

"Looks like it," he teased.

"I had forgotten it was your birthday," Sam teased back.

"Uh huh," Jake laughed. "Just don't wear that to play football in."

Sam rolled her eyes and went to where Ann was sitting. Ann was wearing a dress today too.

"Planning a date with your boyfriend?" Ann teased.

"No," Sam scowled. "Today's his birthday and I always go over to play football with him and his brothers."

"The only girl playing football with a bunch of guys," Ann said dreamily. "He is so cute!"

Sam nodded, acknowledging that Jake was cute. Ann was more boy crazy than Sam was at the time. Maybe because her best friend was a boy, she didn't know.

Nobody but she and Jake knew they had kissed that one time. It had been pleasant. Neither had used their tongue to make it icky as apparently Kit did when he kissed girls. Sam shuddered.

"Are you cold?" Ann asked as they gathered up their things to go play on the playground.

"No, just thinking of something," Sam told her. They went to their third grade class room to leave their backpacks and put on their coats before going outside.

Since Sam was wearing a skirt, she didn't run around too much. She was afraid the wind would pick up her skirt and show everyone her underpants.

Suddenly a boy in their class ran by Ann and lifted up her skirt.

"Dress up for Sunday," he laughed as Ann grabbed her skirt and pushed it back down.

Another boy moved in to do it to Ann and she screamed as her skirt was lifted. Sam stomped her foot in anger before rushing to Ann's aid, forgetting that she was wearing a skirt as well.

The boys lifted Sam's skirt.

"I see London, I see France, I see Sam's underpants," one of them chanted.

Sam fumed. She felt her skirt lifted again and she whirled, fist at the ready to catch the boy who did it in the nose. The boy fell back and Sam jumped on him, not caring at this point that she was wearing a skirt. They crashed to the ground, Sam flailing away at him.

It didn't take long before other kids on the playground saw what was happening and gathered in a circle around them. The boy was trying to push Sam off, but she was kneeling on his arms as she hit him about the face. Years of fending off Jake and his tickles had taught her to pin down the arms.

"Isn't that your little girlfriend over there?" Darrell said to Jake as Jake tossed a basketball towards the hoop.

"What?" Jake turned, not seeing that he had made a basket. "Oh for…"

Jake took off towards the fight, Darrell hot on his heels. Quinn and Bryan saw Jake running and looked closer, seeing what looked like a fight towards one side of the playground. Curious, they too ran towards it.

Jake broke through the group and put his arm around Sam's middle, lifting her off the boy who had been unfortunate enough to lift up Sam's skirt. Jake knew it was just a matter of time before the principal or one of the teacher's supposedly supervising recess would be there.

"Gosh, Sammy," Quinn's yelp of amusement reached Sam's ears as Jake pulled her off.

Sam struggled against Jake's hold, trying to get back to beating up the boy who was just now getting up from the ground.

"If you lift my skirt ever again, I will blacken your other eye," Sam told him as she struggled. She heard Jake's snort in her ear.

"What's going on here?" Jake's fifth grade teacher asked as he broke into the group.

"She hit me," the boy who Sam had fought.

"You lifted up my and Ann's skirts," Sam defended herself. She struggled again as if she wanted to break away from Jake, who still had her lifted off the ground and pinned against his chest.

"Both of you with me to the principal's office," the teacher said. He motioned for Jake to put Sam down. He did so gingerly. Knowing Sam as he did, he wouldn't be surprised if she lunged for the boy again. Which she did. Jake grabbed her arm.

"Leave him, Brat," Jake growled in her ear. "He won't bother you again."

Sam turned her head to look into Jake's face. His eyes were cold and his expression as stern and angry as she'd ever seen them.

Sam gulped, thinking he was mad at her.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

"So what'd you get, Sammy?" Bryan asked as they waited for their bus.

"Dad or Gram has to sign a letter," Sam said. "I'm going to get into trouble."

"You prolly won't be able to come to Jakey's party, huh?" Quinn asked.

Sam shook her head. "Where is Jake?"

"He had something to take care of," Bryan told her, his eyes meeting Quinn's.

"He'll be here any minute, I'm sure," Quinn assured her. He spied Jake headed their way. "Here he is."

Sam turned to where they were looking, seeing Jake striding towards them.

"Everything okay, Jakey?" Bryan asked.

Jake gave a curt nod.

Quinn grinned at him.

"Did you forget something?" Sam asked.

"No," Jake shook his head. "I had to do something."

"I don't think I can come over today," Sam told him.

"It's okay, Brat," Jake assured her. "It's not a big deal."

"It's your birthday," Sam disagreed. "It is a big deal to me."

"We'll miss our hiker," Jake grinned at her.

Sam smiled wistfully. It would be the first time she had missed his birthday since she had met him four years ago.

Their bus arrived and they climbed up. Sam sat on the seat next to Jake. She noticed that Jake was flexing his right hand and saw what looked like scrape marks.

"What happened to your hand?" Sam asked, picking it up to look at it.

She heard the snorts from Jake's brothers behind her, but Jake pulled his hand out of hers.

"It's nothin'," Jake told her.

"Did you fall down?" Sam wondered, remembering when she had scraped her hand when she had fallen.

"I don't think Jake was the one who fell down," Quinn joked.

Sam turned to look at him, not getting what he was saying.

"It's okay, Sam," Jake said. "Just forget it."

"Okay," Sam murmured. Then she sighed. "I'm never wearing a skirt to school again. It just gets me into trouble."

All three Elys snorted.

"I think you look cute in a skirt," Bryan told her.

"Even with that wussy pink pony backpack," Quinn teased. "I couldn't help but notice your underpants matched."

Sam groaned.

"I see London," Bryan started as he was laughing.

"I see France," Quinn laughed.

Sam turned around and glared at them both which had them choking on their laughter. She felt Jake's laughter and punched his arm.

"Ow," Jake's laughter broke through. "I think you're in enough trouble for hitting today."

Sam sobered, knowing Dad and Gram were going to ground her from riding and everything else for awhile. She wondered if she could convince them she had no choice.

"I couldn't let them get away with it," Sam murmured.

"Who? Those boys?" Jake asked.

Sam nodded. "They kept lifting our skirts up and wouldn't leave us alone."

"What is it about you that attracts these bullies, Sammy?" Bryan said.

"I bet because I'm not blond," Sam mused. She heard a scoffing noise from Jake.

"Not that again," Jake responded. "You can't believe that they went after you because you weren't blond."

"Why then?" Sam wondered.

"What?" both Bryan and Quinn yelped. Jake turned to look at them and shook his head.

"You're a third grader," Jake shrugged.

"So were they," Sam reminded him.

"Third graders aren't all that smart," Jake told her, ignoring her outrage.

"Especially when the girl they're picking on has red hair and knows how to hit," Bryan laughed.

"They were fooled by the pink underpants and the wussy pink backpack," Quinn teased.

Sam almost crawled over the backseat to get to him, but Jake grabbed her and made her sit down. The boys were all laughing, enjoying her reaction. They loved teasing her and sometimes she made it so easy for them.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

"Let me know if you can come today," Jake told Sam before they left her.

"Okay, but I doubt it," Sam responded.

Jake nodded and followed his brothers.

"So, what's with the blond comment?" Bryan asked Jake.

"She thinks that boys don't like her because she's not blond," Jake answered.

"What?" Quinn yelped. "Where would she get that idea?"

"Maybe from your blond harem," Jake retorted.

"I'll make room for Sammy," Quinn teased.

Jake gave him a look which had his brothers laughing.

"So, did you convince that kid not to mess with Sammy again?" Bryan asked Jake.

"Yeah," Jake nodded with a grin.

"I bet he saw his life pass before his eyes," Quinn laughed.

"Dunno, but I think he wet his pants," Jake told them.

Bryan clapped Jake on the shoulder. "Way to go, little man. He'll think twice before he lifts Sammy's skirt again."

Quinn got a funny look on his face. Both Bryan and Jake gave him a look.

"Nothin'," Quinn was laughing.

"Oh come on, you have to tell us now," Bryan told his twin.

"When you said that about Sammy's skirt, all I could think of was only Jakey's allowed to lift her skirt," Quinn said between chuckles.

Jake colored which made both twins laugh. He didn't completely understand what they were getting at, but he knew his brothers and knew it couldn't be good.

"You'll understand better next year, Jakey," Bryan nudged him with his elbow.

"Why, what's next year?" Jake wondered.

"Sex education," Quinn grinned. "The great part of being a sixth grader."

Having older brothers, Jake knew some things but not the specifics. He knew Adam had girly magazines hidden in the barn. He knew Kit locked himself in his room with his girlfriend sometimes when his parents hadn't gotten home from work yet. Jake could hear moaning when he walked by on the way to his room. It sounded painful and Jake wasn't sure he wanted anything to do with it if it was.

He didn't say any of this out loud. Quinn and Bryan would tease him about it until he was old and gray if he did.

Living on a ranch, he had seen animals breeding but couldn't equate that with humans. He didn't want to. Jake gave a slight shudder as he tried to erase it from his mind.

All he knew now is that Sam had gotten into trouble and probably wouldn't be allowed to spend his birthday with him. Jake was upset about it, but there wasn't anything he could do to change it.

Not spending one birthday with his best friend wouldn't kill him, but he was surprised how much it bothered him. Jake didn't dig any deeper to determine why it did. He wasn't sure he'd like the answer.

The phone was ringing when the three of them walked through the door. Quinn went answer it.

"Hullo?" he said into the phone.

"I can't come tonight," Sam told him.

"Sorry to hear that, Sammy," Quinn responded. "Do you want to talk to Jake?"

Quinn looked at Jake who was frowning.

"I can't," Sam murmured. "I'm grounded and can't talk on the phone. I just wanted him to know. Bye."

"Bye Sammy," Quinn hung up the phone. "She's grounded."

"I figured," Jake gave a long-suffering sigh and headed for his room.

"He looks like he's just lost his best friend," Quinn said to his twin.

"He kinda did," Bryan responded. "Well, until she's allowed out of the house, anyway."

"Gosh, did you see her clock that kid?" Quinn was grinning.

"Then go after him again after Jake pulled her off," Bryan laughed.

"I hate that she got into trouble, but she was great," Quinn laughed with his twin.

"Did us proud," Bryan agreed.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

"Here's your present," Sam handed Jake a package the next day at the bus stop.

"Thanks," Jake smiled at her. "Sorry you couldn't come."

"Me too," Sam murmured, not smiling back at him. "Who won the football game?"

"Me, Kit and Nate," Jake grinned.

"We missed our hiker," Quinn told her.

Sam frowned.

"So how long are you in for?" Bryan asked.

"Two weeks," Sam grumbled. "Dad said three at first, then said two when I said that the boy was lifting my skirt. I can't ride or see anyone except at school."

"Sorry, Sammy," Quinn told her.

The three Elys waited a beat, wondering if she'd say it.

"I'd hit him again if he tried it again," Sam huffed.

The three guys started to laugh. She had said it, just as they expected.

"Take it from me, don't say that to an adult," Jake chuckled. "I did when I got in trouble for fighting and I thought our parents were going to shut me up in my room for the rest of my life."

"I won't," Sam promised. "But I still would."

"We won't tell, Sammy," Bryan promised.

"Somehow I don't think that kid will cause you any more trouble," Quinn grinned at Jake.

"I hope not," Sam murmured.

Jake gave Quinn a look, promising his own beat down if he said anything. Quinn's grin just got wider.

Jake opened his gift from Sam on the way to school.

"Wow, this is great," Jake exclaimed.

Sam had given him a book on how to think like a horse.

"For, you know," Sam looked up at him.

"They know, but thanks," Jake told her.

"Yeah we know Jake's getting a foal," Bryan said from behind them.

"After I get mine," Quinn gave a superior smile.

"Well, you are older," Sam pointed out. "Though Jake's better with horses."

Instead of frowning at Sam's defense of Jake, Quinn's grin only got wider.

"Touchy," Quinn murmured, but Jake heard him. He turned around to give his older brother a dirty look. It didn't faze Quinn a bit.

"Oh and Sammy, if you want to join my girls, you're welcome to," Quinn told her.

"Why?" Sam wondered. "I'm not blond and dumb."

Jake snorted, his tomcat grin on his face as he looked back at his brother.

"No, but you wear pink underpants and I like that," Quinn teased.

Jake had to grab Sam's coat and pull her back as she turned and started over the seat after Quinn.

"We couldn't help but notice you're not wearing a skirt today," Bryan said.

"Never again," Sam muttered.

"What about when you get married?" Quinn asked.

"Not even then," Sam shook her head. "I'm not getting married."

She got startled looks from all three Elys.

"Why not?" Bryan wondered.

"Because I'm never going to let a boy tell me what to do," Sam crossed her arms over her chest in emphasis.

"Mom's married and she doesn't let Dad tell her what to do," Quinn said.

"She's blond too," Bryan chuckled.

Sam shook her head.

"Sucks for Jakey," Quinn said quietly, but not so quietly that Jake didn't hear him. Just as Quinn had intended.

This time it was Jake who almost went over the seat after his brother.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

It was Valentine's Day again and Sam gave the Ely brothers their valentines as they waited for the bus. Quinn and Bryan looked happy. Jake looked embarrassed. Sam was used to it by now.

"Thanks, Sammy," Quinn gave her a hug. "I got the best one first."

Bryan also thanked her by giving her a hug and a quick kiss. "It's Valentine's Day, I can kiss you."

Sam wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Jake snorted.

"Give it a few years and you'll be wanting my kisses," Bryan teased.

"I doubt it," Sam retorted with a grin.

"Bryan beat down by a third grader," Quinn laughed.

They got on the bus when it arrived and Bryan pulled on Sam's arm until she sat next to him. He put his arm around her shoulder.

Jake gave him a look, but Bryan only grinned at his youngest brother.

"It's VD, I have to sit with my girl Sammy," Bryan told him.

"I'm not sure saying Sam and VD in the same sentence is a good thing," Quinn laughed.

"It is until she's a sixth grader," Bryan laughed with his twin.

Sam looked from Bryan to Quinn, not getting the joke. She looked at Jake, but only saw the back of his head as he looked out the window.

When they got to school, the girls rushed Quinn and Bryan stuffing their hands full of valentines.

"Remember what I said, Sammy," Quinn winked before Sam disappeared down the hall.

Sam spied Ann up ahead and watched as she handed Jake a valentine. Sam stopped, shocked. She had known that Ann thought Jake was cute, but she hadn't expected her to give him a valentine. She didn't hear if Jake said anything to Ann before he kept going down the hallway.

"He is so cute," Ann gushed as Sam reached her.

Sam watched Jake until he disappeared into the crowd of students. Then her eyes flicked to Ann.

"You're not mad are you?" Ann asked. "You keep saying he's not your boyfriend."

"He's not," Sam said.

"Good," Ann smiled dreamily. "Then maybe he'll want to go steady with me."

"What?" Sam yelped, not able to control herself.

"I wrote him a note inside," Ann dropped her voice.

"You want to go steady with Jake?" Sam didn't recognize her own voice.

"Sure," Ann nodded. "He's cute and available. Plus he's an older man which makes it perfect."

Sam felt her jaw drop.

"He's so shy too," Ann went on.

Jake shy? He was never shy. At least not with Sam. Why was Ann saying he was shy?

The two girls went into their third grade class, but Sam was still thinking about Ann's declaration. Would Jake ask her to go steady with him? Could he like Ann and just hadn't told her?

"I can't wait to see him at lunch," Ann said, drawing Sam's attention back on her friend.

"Why?"

"By then he should have read my note," Ann responded.

Sam doubted it. She would bet Jake had stuffed Ann's valentine into his backpack just has he had Sam's and would any others he received today. Sam thought Jake wouldn't read any of them until he was safely in his room at home with the door shut. If he even read them then.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

Sam watched Ann watching Jake during lunch. He never acknowledged either of them as he sat with his small group of friends.

"Maybe he'll wait until recess," Ann sighed.

_Maybe you'll be waiting forever_, Sam couldn't help but think.

Should she tell Ann that she doubted Jake had even given her valentine a second thought? She opened her mouth to do so, but then shut it again. No, she decided not to say anything. Why, she wasn't sure. She glanced over at Jake.

Jake felt the eyes on him and turned his head, meeting Sam's gaze. He saw confusion there and wondered at it. He happened to see Sam's friend Ann look at him with what could only be described as gooey eyed and he quickly averted his eyes again.

He had been surprised when she had handed him an envelope. He surmised it had to contain a valentine, but he hadn't opened it. Jake did open Sam's once he had gotten to class. Darrell had seen the soft smile on his face as he had glanced at Sam's valentine and had snatched it out of his hands.

"Oh, a valentine from the girlfriend, huh?" Darrell had teased.

"She's not my girlfriend," Jake had snatched the valentine back.

"Sure seems like it," Darrell told him.

Jake shrugged. "She's eight years old."

"So?" Darrell laughed. "I got a valentine from an eight year old today. A cute eight year old."

Jake rolled his eyes and had stuck the valentine back in his backpack. That's when he saw the one from Sam's friend and a few others that he had gotten from girls in his class. No way he was opening those in school!

He glanced over to where Sam was sitting with her friend. The friend had gone back to eating her lunch, but Sam's eyes met his as she took a sip of her milk. The confusion was still in her eyes. Was he supposed to respond to her valentine? He never had in the past, so why the confused look now?

Jake ended up leaving the lunch room at the same time Sam did that day.

"Uh, thanks," he rubbed the back of his neck, thanking her for the valentine.

"Okay," Sam didn't really look at him as she headed for her classroom to get her coat.

Once out on the playground, she played a type of tag game with some of the girls in her class. Jake played basketball with Darrell and his friends, his eyes straying to Sam every once in awhile.

Sam chased one of her friends and bumped into a body.

"Omph," she grunted. She felt the arms reach out to steady her.

"Trying to hug me, Sammy?" Quinn's amused voice asked.

"No," Sam gave it back to him. "I'm trying to knock you down."

She ran around him and after her friend.

"Why do you even talk to her?" one of his blond girlfriends asked.

"Why do I talk to you?" Quinn wondered. "She's family. You're not."

"I didn't mean anything by it, Quinn," the girl said.

"Whatever," Quinn muttered, ignoring the girl.

Bryan gave a snort as he followed his brother, leaving the girl to look after them as they caught up to Sam.

Quinn grabbed Sam and picked her up, spinning her around as Sam pulled his nose. Both of them were laughing. Quinn literally tossed her to Bryan who ran down the playground with her tucked under his arm.

"Samball," Quinn laughed as Bryan tossed her back to him. "Go out for a pass, Bryan." Quinn made a motion with his hands as if he were telling Bryan to run for a pass from a football. Sam's peal of laughter could be heard all over the school yard.

"Looks like you've been replaced by a third grader, Daisy," one of the girls commented.

"Well she's only a fourth grader herself," another sniffed, lifting her head and giving Daisy a look.

The girls followed Quinn and Bryan at a distance, leaving Daisy to stand by herself and watch.

Jake heard Sam's laughter and looked over to see his brothers passing her back and forth between them. He wondered what they were doing since they normally didn't play with her while at school. He saw the girl named Daisy watching separately from the rest of the group, a calculating look on her face.

Jake was curious to know what was going on, but stayed where he was, shooting baskets with Darrell and his own friends.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

"So, what were you guys doing with Sam during recess?" Jake asked after the bus had dropped them off and Sam had started for home.

"Playing football," Bryan responded.

"Samball," Quinn corrected.

"Oh yeah, that's right. Samball," Bryan said.

"Samball?" Jake questioned.

"Daisy said something about her so we decided we'd rather hang with Sammy," Quinn shrugged.

"Which one is Daisy?" Jake wondered.

"You're not going to punch her out are you little man?" Bryan teased.

"'Course not," Jake gave him a look.

"Daisy's the blond one," Quinn told Jake.

Jake snorted. "You need to be a bit more specific."

Quinn and Bryan laughed.

"Blond, curly hair," Bryan clarified.

Jake nodded. "She's what? A fourth grader?"

"Yep," Quinn nodded. "I've decided not to let her hang with us anymore."

Bryan nodded in agreement. "This is the second time she's dissed Sammy."

"She'll try somethin'," Jake predicted.

"Why do you say that?" Quinn asked.

Jake shrugged. "Something I saw on her face."

"She better not," Bryan said.

"What are you going to do, beat her up?" Quinn laughed.

"No, we'll let Sammy do that," Bryan responded.

"And get her grounded again," Jake gave Bryan a look.

"Oh, we can't have that, huh Jakey?" Bryan teased.

Jake ignored the teasing.

"So did you get many valentines, Jake?" Quinn asked.

"Some," Jake shrugged.

"Sammy give you one?" Bryan asked.

Jake nodded, refusing to allow them to tease him about his friendship with Sam.

As they reached home and started walking across the ranch yard, all their eyes were drawn to the pasture where the very pregnant mare was standing. They were excited for Quinn and Jake couldn't wait until this time next year when it would be his colt or filly the mare was carrying.

"Dad's going to the auction this weekend to look for a yearling for me," Bryan said.

"You goin' too?" Jake asked.

"I hope so," Bryan answered. "You know Dad though. He doesn't like to drag us along on his trips."

"Grandfather's going too," Jake said.

"We'll all have new horses to train," Quinn smiled.

Jake nodded, excited to have his own foal. He planned on implementing everything that Grandfather had taught him over the years. He might be only ten, or he'd be eleven when he got his foal, but Jake had plans.

His plans for this foal were what he hoped would get him started in the horse training business. Jake realized that there weren't too many adults who would turn over the training of their horses to a young kid like him, but he hoped to prove he could do it with this foal.

Jake would take training advice from Grandfather and Dad, but the actual training would be all his. It's what he wanted to do with this life. He wanted nothing more than to be a rancher that also trained horses.

The book that Sam had given him on his birthday had been a big help. Though he already thought like a horse, it had given him even more information he needed. She couldn't have picked a better gift for him at the time.

Some of the ideas were so new and radical for this part of the country. Here, most of the cowboys still wanted to train horses the old way, by _breaking_ them. Jake wanted to think like them and train according to their instincts. He felt that training them this way, the old Native American way, the horses would be better connected to their owners and riders.

He had pretty lofty goals for someone who was just ten years old.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

Spring had come to the high desert of Nevada and the people and animals of the area were happy to see it. While it hadn't been a snowy winter, it had been cold.

The mare was getting closer to foaling and Quinn was getting more excited. In fact, all the boys were getting excited.

Bryan had gotten his yearling. It was a black and white overo Paint gelding that he had named Rocky. He had seen him at the auction and had wanted him immediately. He hadn't said anything to his father or grandfather, but had been beside himself when the two men had seen the Paint and went to take a closer look.

Bryan had tried to pretend nonchalance as the two men had asked the owner of the gelding to bring the horse out for a closer look. Even when Grandfather had looked to Bryan for a reaction, Bryan hadn't given anything away. He wondered if Grandfather hadn't known anyway. Grandfather had a knack of looking past the obvious to get to the truth of the matter. Bryan would have bet that Grandfather knew he had wanted that yearling.

Bryan had been so proud and happy when he had unloaded that loud Paint yearling from the trailer. Even his mother had exclaimed over the gelding.

Jake had looked over the horse when Bryan had taken him out of the trailer and knew without putting his hands on the horse that Bryan had gotten himself a superb one.

The yearling's conformation was almost perfect. Long sloping shoulders, a short back and big powerful hindquarters. He was everything that Jake hoped his foal would be.

When Bryan had caught his eye, Jake had nodded. Bryan then had looked to Kit who had also nodded and told Bryan what a great horse he had gotten.

The family realized that Kit knew horses, but they also knew that Jake would end up a better horseman than even Kit by the time Jake was Kit's age. There was just _something_ about Jake and horses that was magic. They all knew it and the rest of the county would know it soon.

Sam had loved Rocky. He was a sweet horse who came to nuzzle her reddish-brown hair when she had gone into the pasture to see him. Sam had laughed at the warm hay breath of the yearling and she had spoken softly to him as she reached out to stroke his black and white shoulder.

"He has the coolest patches," Sam had said. "I love pintos."

"Paint," Jake had said immediately.

"Paint?" Sam turned to look at him. "Not a pinto?"

Jake shook his head. "Pinto is a color. Paint is a breed. He's double registered with the Paint Horse Association and the Quarter Horse Association."

Sam had given him a confused look.

"Paint," Jake had snorted, his tomcat grin spreading across his full mouth.

"Whatever," Sam rolled her eyes. Jake was showing off again. They both knew it.

"Buzz buzz," Jake teased.

"Oh, shut up," Sam retorted. "It was just a dream."

"Just a dream?" Jake yelped, but he was still teasing. "It's never just a dream to an Indian, Brat. We call them visions."

"Since when do you care that you're Indian?" Sam wondered.

"Of course I care," Jake pretended he was insulted.

Sam rolled his eyes. She gave Rocky a final pat and left the pasture with Jake.

"Can I see the mare?" Sam asked.

"Sure," Jake nodded and they went into the barn to see the mare that would have Quinn's foal.

"She's so pretty," Sam said as she smooched to the mare.

Jake rolled his eyes. Sam was being girly again.

"She's not pretty," Jake corrected.

"Then what is she?" Sam challenged.

Jake was surprised into silence as he thought about it. He looked at the mare. Since it was a mare, he couldn't say handsome. Beautiful wasn't a word he'd normally use. He'd pull out his tongue before he ever used the word gorgeous. He guessed she was pretty, but he sure as heck wasn't going to admit that to Sam. So he shrugged.

"Ha!" Sam crowed. "Admit it, I'm right. She is pretty."

"Why are you here taggin' along, anyway," Jake asked. "Buzz, buzz."

"Is that the best you got, Jake?" Sam punched his arm.

Jake's mouth twitched. He grabbed her, tacking her into a pile of straw. Sam was fighting him before they hit the ground and both of them were laughing. He pinned her down and started tickling her. Sam started screaming. The mare left the barn to go to her outside pasture due to the noise the two of them were making.

Jake's face was an inch from hers as he tickled her, laughing down at her.

"Say it," he urged her.

"Never," Sam tried to buck him off, but he wouldn't budge.

"Say it," Jake continued to tickle her.

"You're fat," Sam shouted, causing Jake to laugh harder.

"Come on, say it," Jake told her, leaning over her.

Sam raised her face and kissed him. The suddenness of it surprised Jake. He pulled his head back, looking down at her. Jake sat looking at Sam with a stunned expression for a second before he bent his head and kissed her back.

It wasn't the first time that they had kissed, but it had been awhile since the first one. This one lasted a few seconds longer than their first kiss.

They looked shocked at each other afterwards, but neither thought it was unpleasant.

"Uncle," Sam whispered.

"I just found a way to shut you up," Jake gave her one of his smug, tomcat grins. Then he laughed, flinching as Sam punched his arm.


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

Quinn's foal was born a day before his and Bryan's birthday. Quinn was disappointed, but fell instantly in love with the colt. He was a milk chocolaty brown without a bit of white.

"He looks like a chocolate chip," Sam murmured when she came over to see the new foal.

"That's it," Quinn put his arm around her. "Meet Chocolate Chip."

"Really?" Sam was enthusiastic.

"Yep, really," Quinn nodded.

"It's perfect," Kit said. "Good going, Sammy."

Jake gave her a grin and Sam grinned back at him.

"He's so handsome," Sam said. "But of course his mother is _pretty_."

Jake choked back a laugh, understanding the emphasis. The others looked confused.

"You're a brat," Jake muttered loud enough for her to hear.

"Am not," Sam muttered back.

"Buzz, buzz," Jake said under his breath.

"Neigh," Sam countered.

The others met each others' eyes over the heads of the two youngsters. Some things never changed.

Everyone stood back as Quinn went into the stall to lead the mare out to the pasture where she and her colt could spend the day. It was a lovely, bright, warm May day.

Little Chip scampered after his mother, who plodded along after Quinn. Once the sun hit the colt's coat, it shown a bright brown rich color.

"Wow, he's gorgeous," Sam mused.

Jake grinned again since Sam said the one word that he vowed would never cross his lips, ever. She socked his arm, thinking he was making fun of her for some reason.

"Ow, whatcha do that for?" Jake complained.

"Why not?" Sam countered, causing everyone including Jake to laugh.

"You boys taught her," Maxine reminded her sons.

"I didn't," Jake pointed out.

"Only because you knew she'd hit you the most," Adam laughed.

"And that's wrong how?" Jake wanted to know, laughing as he dodged Sam again.

"I'm sorry I won't be around to watch Sammy grow up," Kit gave Sam a smile.

Maxine frowned, not liking to think about her oldest son leaving to go on the rodeo trail. Kit put his arm around his Mom and gave her cheek a kiss.

"You know I have to go," he murmured to her.

"No, I don't know that you _have_ to go," Maxine told him.

Kit gave her one of his wolfish grins and she turned her head away from him.

"Don't even try to charm me, Christopher," Maxine said. Everyone else started laughing since Kit was never called Christopher.

Sam remembered when she first met Jake he had told her that nobody ever called Kit Christopher without expecting to get beat up. Kit just shook his head at his mother.

"I don't know why you can't stay home and take college classes," Maxine continued.

"Maxine," Luke got everyone's attention. "The boy needs to do what he feels he needs to do."

"Maybe, but I don't have to be happy about it," Maxine responded.

"Aww, I'll be okay, Mommy," Kit teased. Maxine swatted his arm and Sam saw she was trying not to smile.

"No mother likes to see her children leave home," Maxine told them.

"Except when it's time for Quinn to leave, huh?" Adam teased.

They all started to laugh, Quinn laughing the loudest.


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

"When does Kit leave?" Sam asked Jake at the bus stop on the last day of school.

"Not long," Jake answered. "We'll go campin' and then he'll be gone."

Sam nodded, looking up at him trying to determine how he felt about his brother leaving. Jake shrugged, knowing what she was asking.

"Are you comin' with us?" Jake wondered.

"If you still want me to," Sam responded.

"Why wouldn't we?"

"Well, it will be Kit's last one for awhile," Sam said. "You might not want me tagging along."

"You always tag along," Jake teased with a smile.

"I don't always," Sam put her hands on her hips.

Jake couldn't help the chuckle.

"Yes you do, but that's okay," Jake told her. "We expect it."

Sam stuck her tongue out at him, only causing Jake to give her a lopsided grin.

On the bus ride to school, she sat next to Jake with Quinn and Bryan in the back. One of them kept pulling on one of her pigtails. She'd turn around to swat them but they were too quick for her. She couldn't tell which one it had been. The twins tried to give her innocent looks but she could see the humor in both of their dark brown eyes. She suspected they were tag teaming her so she just swatted both of them.

"Are you going to miss us next year, Sammy?" Bryan asked.

"No," Sam shook her head.

"Liar," Quinn told her.

"Not a bit," Sam continued.

"Not even a little?" Bryan asked.

"Nope," Sam shook her head again.

"Who's going to play Samball with you?" Quinn wondered.

Sam snorted and she heard their laughter.

"Maybe Jakey will," Bryan said with a poke to his brother's shoulder.

"Maybe Jake won't," Jake told him.

"You wouldn't play Samball with your…," Quinn began, but broke off when Jake whirled around in his seat.

Quinn was surprised and sat back in his own seat.

"Guess not," Quinn recovered, his eyes dancing with mischief.

"What?" Sam wondered, looking from Quinn to Jake. When they kept staring at each other, Sam turned to Bryan who refused to tell her anything.

"No I am not going to miss any of you," Sam snapped, getting up as the bus pulled into the school parking lot.

"You'll still have Jakey," Bryan reminded her as he followed her.

"So, what?" Sam was still snappish.

"Looks like she's had enough of you too, Jakey," Quinn teased his youngest brother. "Slept with your first girl at ten and lost her a year later."

"Shut up," Jake warned him.

Quinn held up both hands as if in surrender. Jake gave him a look before he followed Sam and Bryan off the bus.

Jake, for one, wouldn't miss his older brothers a bit. He was tired of them teasing him about his relationship with Samantha. He shuddered when he thought of what it would be like if they knew he and Sam had kissed twice. It was something they'd never need to know, as far as he was concerned.

Sam went into the school, Bryan on her heels. He was walking down the hallway and put his arm around her.

"I need to warn away all the other guys," Bryan told her with a grin. "Can't have them moving in on you once I'm gone."

Sam rolled her eyes. "I don't think that will be a problem."

"Jakey will still be here to protect you," Bryan said.

"I can protect myself," Sam huffed.

"And you do such a fine job of it too," Bryan teased.

Sam punched his arm and Bryan laughed.

"I'm going to miss you, little sis," Bryan told her.

"I won't miss you a bit," Sam responded.

"I'm crushed," Bryan stood outside of her third grade class with her.

Sam giggled and hugged him. "You know I'm kidding."

"You meant Quinn, right?" Bryan laughed.

"Yep," Sam assured him with a laugh.

"See you later, Sammy," Bryan gave her a wave and headed to his sixth grade classroom a few doors down from hers.


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

Sam was saying goodbye to Ann and her other third grade friends. Even though she and Ann didn't live that far from each other, Sam knew she probably wouldn't see Ann again until next fall.

Sam had been to Ann's house once and Sam had been bored. Ann liked dolls and other girl things and Sam didn't. Sam much preferred her time playing with Jake and spending time either on her ranch, his ranch or riding with him. Sam just wasn't a girly girl.

Gram blamed it on the fact that Sam had basically been given free rein to spend with the Elys once her mother had died. Sam had grown up as a tomboy and wasn't about to change anytime soon.

As Sam was running down the hallway to her bus, someone put their leg out and tripped her. She was helpless as she crashed to the ground, her pink _My Little Pony_ backpack flying off her shoulder to slide across the floor.

She felt the pain in her knee as she turned her head to see the blond fourth grader who used to be part of Quinn's harem. Sam thought Daisy was her name though at that point she didn't care.

"It's _your_ fault Quinn doesn't like me anymore," the girl sneered.

"I'm glad he doesn't," Sam snarled, getting to her feet and rushing at the blond girl.

"You're nothing but a filthy brat," the other girl mocked, taking a few steps back, a terrified look on her face as Sam came after her with her fist raised.

"Nobody but Jake can call me that," Sam lunged.

She felt the arms grab her in mid-air. She struggled against them, intent on giving it to the blond who had tripped her.

"Whoa Brat, slow down," Jake's voice told her as he tightened his arm around her.

"She tripped me," Sam kept trying to grab the blond's hair, clothes or anything within reach.

"If you get in trouble for fighting you can't go campin' with us," Jake reminded her.

Just like that, Sam gave up. She nodded and Jake put her down slowly, her feet hitting the ground, millimeters at a time. He remained close and kept his arm loosely around her in order to grab her if she went after the blond again.

"What happened?" Quinn and Bryan were there.

"She tripped over her big feet and blamed me," Daisy said sweetly.

Jake grabbed Sam just before she launched herself at Daisy again.

"Hey Bry, grab her backpack will ya?" Jake asked his older brother as he carried Sam away from the blond and outside to where they would wait for their bus. Sam was looking over his shoulder at Daisy and giving her dirty looks. Darrell was following them and laughing at the spunk of Jake's friend.

"If you ever touch her again, you will regret it," Quinn said quietly to Daisy, so quietly that nobody else over heard him threaten her.

"What are you going to do, hit me too?" Daisy taunted. "Do you hit girls, Quinn?"

"I won't hit you though you wish I had," Quinn promised. "Remember what I said."

Quinn turned and walked out of the building to where his brothers, Sam and Darrell were standing.

"Did she trip you?" Quinn asked Sam when he had reached them.

"I think so," Sam said. "I didn't see her but she was there."

"You let me know if she bothers you next year," Quinn told her.

Jake gave him a look. "What are you going to do about it in middle school? I'll still be here."

"Me too," Darrell said, surprising everyone but especially Sam.

"Daisy's doing this because of me," Quinn reminded them.

"She's mad you broke up with her," Sam told him.

"I never broke up with her," Quinn laughed. "We weren't going together to break up. It was wishful thinking on her part. She's always just been a hanger on."

"My bus is about to leave," Darrell broke in, reminding them that he was there. "See you guys."

"Bye, Darrell," Jake called to his friend.

Their bus arrived and Sam started to climb on. She found herself picked up by Bryan and carried down the aisle, tucked under his arm.

"You're not going to throw me around on the bus are you?" Sam asked.

"Nope," Bryan dropped her on a seat and sat behind her.

"I _am_ going to miss you guys," Sam said.

"You have all summer to hang out with us," Quinn reminded her as he plopped down next to his twin. "You're going camping with us, right?"

"Yeah," Sam looked at Jake with a grateful look. "Someone reminded me of that before I clocked what's her blond name."

Jake's mouth twitched before he finally gave up and grinned at her.

"What's her blond name?" Bryan burst out laughing. His voice squeaked, reminding Sam that his voice was going up and down like Quinn's.

She glanced at Jake, wondering when his would start doing the same thing. Sam couldn't imagine him with a deep voice. Would he still be her friend then? She wondered but didn't want to think about him not being her friend.


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40**

"Whatcha doin' Brat?" Jake's voice came to her the day before they were leaving for their camping trip.

Roundup had come and gone without incident. Dad had shook Kit's hand and wished him well with his rodeo career. Sam had bit her lip, not wanting to think about Kit's leaving.

"Playing with Jake," Sam told him with a grin.

"No you're not," Jake corrected her as he dismounted from one of the Three Ponies' horses.

"Sure I am, see?" Sam held up the turtle.

"How do you know it's the same one?" Jake teased.

"It's obvious," Sam rolled her eyes. "See? He's brown with black on top of his head, just like you."

Jake couldn't help the chuckle.

"Maybe Jake made babies that just look like him," he said.

"You can't make babies," Sam teased.

"Some day," Jake told her.

"You want babies?" Sam asked as she stroked Jake the turtle's head.

"Sure," Jake nodded, stooping down next to her. "Don't you?"

"I don't want to have to stay home and play house," Sam shook her head. "Ann likes to play house. It's boring."

Jake snorted. "I want lots of kids."

"Really?" Sam was surprised.

"Sure, my mom had a lot and I think it's good to have more than just one," Jake said.

Sam frowned. Her mom was dead so there was only her.

Jake seemed to realize it at the same time and he paled. "I'm sorry, Sam."

"It's okay," Sam murmured, but he saw the sadness in her face before she had looked down. "I still don't want to play house."

"No, me either," Jake agreed. He stood up and went down to the river. He squatted down slowly, his sharp eyes looking in the river for a turtle.

Sam looked over at him, as always surprised at how quiet he could be. He blended in sometimes so you'd never know he was there. That's why she hadn't known he was there the first time they had met. He had watched her from the shadows before making his presence known.

Jake's hand snaked out, grabbing a turtle out of the river. He held it aloft, his face almost triumphant as he turned.

"Yours still can't beat Jake," Sam told him with a grin.

"Don't call that turtle Jake," Jake responded.

"Neigh," Sam said before sticking her tongue out at him.

"Buzz, buzz," Jake retorted with a laugh. "Come on, Brat. Time for my turtle to beat yours."

"Your turtle will never beat Jake," Sam predicted as she picked up her turtle and took it over to where Jake was kneeling on the ground. Turtle Jake's legs were almost running in place as Sam knelt next to him.

"Go!" Jake shouted before Sam had Turtle Jake's feet on the ground.

"You're cheating," Sam accused, putting her turtle down quickly.

Even with Jake's turtle's head start, Sam's turtle overtook his, winning the race. Sam jumped up, dancing in place like they all did after they scored touchdowns when they played football.

"Yeah, yeah," Jake grumbled, though he laughed as he watched her. No doubt about it, she had spent way too much time with him and his brothers.

Neither of them noticed that Sam's turtle was headed for the river until they heard a small splash.

"Oh no," Sam yelped, running down to the river, going in headfirst after her turtle.

Jake fell over, he was laughing so hard. His laughter rang out as he rolled on the ground. His turtle made its escape to the river.

"Darn it," Sam's fists splashed the river when she couldn't find her turtle.

"I guess old Jake was tired of running," Jake was still laughing from where he laid on the ground.

Sam came out of the river, dripping wet. She stood over Jake as she dripped all over him, laughing when he tried to push her away.

"Get away," Jake laughed as he tried to shove her.

"I'm trying to cool you off," Sam reasoned as she laughed, still dribbling water on him. She wrung out her hair which dribbled all over him.

"I'll cool _you_ off," Jake threatened, grabbing her and jumping into the river fully clothed, ignoring Sam's half-hearted screams.

The two of them dunked the other until they finally crawled out of the river to sit on the bank. Side by side, they turned their faces towards the warm sun.

"Ready to go tomorrow?" Jake asked some time later.

"Yeah, Gram's driving me over early," Sam responded with a nod. She opened her eyes to look over at him. "Are you sure you want me to go?"

"'Course," Jake opened his eyes and looked back at her.

"Good, because I can't wait," Sam told him. "I packed a bathing suit."

"Maybe you should have tried wearing it today," Jake teased.

"Maybe you should have taken your clothes off before you jumped in," Sam teased back. "Your mom is going to be mad."

"Nah," Jake shook his head. "She's used to it."

"Dad bred Kitty to Smoke," Sam told him.

"I know. We bred our mare back too," Jake said.

"Dad said I could have Kitty's foal," Sam announced.

"Yeah?" Jake was happy for her.

"We'll have foals at the same time," Sam couldn't stop the smile. "Wouldn't it be cool if they were born on the same day?"

"They could be," Jake nodded.

The two of them shared a smile before shutting their eyes and lying on their backs on the river bank.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

"Hey there, Sammy," Adam greeted her as she got out of Gram's Buick early the next morning.

"Hi Adam," Sam waved at him as she took her things out of the backseat. She didn't see Adam very much anymore since he was now in high school at age sixteen, dating and doing a lot of outdoorsy things.

"Hi Grace," Maxine came out of the house to greet the other woman.

"Hi Maxine," Gram smiled at Jake's mom.

"I'm so glad Wyatt allowed Sam to go with the boys again this year," Maxine said.

"I didn't think he would until you reminded him that Kit would be along too," Gram responded.

Maxine nodded in understanding. She couldn't say that she'd allow her nine year old daughter to go camping overnight with the older neighbor boys. However, she knew her sons felt that Sam was like a sister.

"It helps that they're still nine and not quite eleven," Gram's voice dropped so no one else could overhear them.

"Jake hasn't discovered girls yet," Maxine assured Gram. "Though his brothers already had at his age, he's not given any indication he's noticed that Sam's a girl he's not related to."

"I don't think Wyatt will allow it when they're fourteen and almost sixteen," Gram said.

"No," Maxine shook her head in agreement.

The two women exchanged a look of understanding. The soft smiles on their faces told the other that they both hoped the two youngsters would discover their feelings for each other at a later time. They both had plenty of time to do that as far as the women were concerned.

They watched as Jake helped Sam tie her bag behind her horse's saddle cantle. He tugged briefly on one of her pigtails and she lightly slugged his arm. The women's eyes met, their smiles sly as Jake stood next to Sam's mount and waited for her to get on her horse's back before he moved away and swung up on his own horse.

"Come on Quinn," Kit yelled towards the barn.

Quinn was in the barn saying goodbye to his colt. He spent as much time as he could with him.

"Coming, coming," Quinn muttered running out of the barn. "Hold your horses."

He grinned as he grabbed his horse's mane and swung up without touching the stirrups.

"Lands, your boys sure know their way around a horse," Gram told Maxine.

Maxine nodded her head, thinking about her oldest leaving home to ride bucking broncos full time. She sighed when Gram put her arm around her in understanding. Sometimes having sons was difficult.

"Bye Gram," Sam waved towards the women as Kit led the way.

"Bye Samantha, be good," Gram called, causing the Ely boys to start teasing her. Sam blushed, wishing Gram hadn't said that.

"Yes, Sammy, be a good little girl," Nate joked in a high pitched voice. Nate was now fourteen and would be a freshman in high school next fall. His voice was normally as deep as Adam's and Kit's.

"Shut up," Sam stuck her tongue out at him.

"Oh shut up," Bryan's voice did a fair imitation of Sam's higher one.

Sam stuck her tongue out at him and he returned the gesture.

That drew snorts from the other Ely brothers.


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42**

"So Sammy, I hear you have a foal due, huh?" Kit asked after they had set up camp.

Sam nodded enthusiastically.

"I don't think they know if the mare's in foal yet," Jake said. "Wyatt said she was bred at about the same time ours was."

"So a few more weeks before you know for sure," Kit nodded. "Excited huh?"

"Yep," Sam's face broke out into a smile.

At that instant, Kit had a vision of Sam as a woman. A stunningly beautiful woman. His eyes slid to Jake, knowing his little brother had no clue. Kit wondered if Jake would ever recognize the fact that he and Sam were _not_ siblings, that a beautiful woman was within reach if he would only look for it.

Kit knew the two of them had a special friendship. Would they ever develop something more than that friendship? Maybe they wouldn't want to.

His eyes slid then to Quinn and Bryan. If Jake didn't declare himself for Sam, Kit could see Quinn or Bryan doing so. They were already further along in relationships with girls than Jake was.

Kit knew that those two had already kissed girls. Many girls. The brothers laughed about their harem of young girls who just wanted to be acknowledged by either of the twins. Kit knew it would only get worse. Those two had way too much charm for their own good and he hoped it didn't get them into trouble at a later time. Kit worried about them.

Kit also worried about Jake. The youngest Ely was popular with his own group of friends, a very small group it was too, but was clueless when it came to girls. Kit hoped that girls wouldn't take advantage of Jake. He wasn't sure Jake would ever let anyone get close enough to hurt him, but Kit did worry about it.

His eyes sliding back to Sam, he returned her smile. If nothing changed, she would be perfect for his little brother. They both liked the same things, first and foremost horses.

Jake had seen the speculative looks that Kit had sent his way out of the corner of his eye. He wondered at them, but didn't ask.

"Gosh, I remember you at the first fair you went to with us," Kit's voice took on a faraway tone. "You were so little."

"I still have Jingles," Sam told him.

"Nah, really?" Kit was surprised.

"Yep," Sam nodded. "He's on my pillow and he sleeps with me at night."

Kit shook his head in wonderment. "Wow."

"Not that she's all that much bigger now than she was then," Adam laughed.

"I've grown," Sam told him.

"Yeah, but so have we," Nate responded. "We're growing more than you are."

"You'll always be a shrimp," Quinn teased.

"Jolly Green Giant," Sam teased back.

"Rather be that than a shrimp," Quinn joked.

Sam didn't have a comeback so she stuck out her tongue at him. Quinn gave her the raspberries back, causing her to giggle. All six guys laughed at the sound.

"I'm going for a swim," Kit announced, getting up. "Do you need one of Jakey's t-shirts?"

"No, I brought a bathing suit," Sam grinned, proud of the fact that she did.

"Good goin', Sammy," Adam stretched his legs as he stood up. "See you down there."

Kit, Nate, Quinn and Bryan followed him.

"Don't forget we'll be naked," Jake told her.

"I won't grab anything," Sam promised.

Jake's jaw dropped before he broke out laughing.

"You remember that, huh?" Jake managed to get out.

Sam just giggled. Jake laughed almost all the way down to the lake.

"What's so funny, Jakey?" Bryan asked, stripping out of his clothes.

"Sam," Jake pulled his shirt over his head.

His brothers looked at him questioningly.

"Don't worry, she promised not to grab anything," Jake told them.

He laughed as five Ely jaws dropped.


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43**

Sam ran down the hill and jumped over Quinn's head. She grabbed her nose before she hit the water. The Ely boys were laughing and smiling as she surfaced.

"Good jump, Sammy," Nate told her.

"Thanks," Sam smiled at him.

He grabbed her and slung her over his shoulder like a backpack. Sam was laughing as she hung upside down, trying to keep her head out of the water. Nate loosened his grip and she flipped around so she was riding piggyback, her arms around his shoulders and her legs around his waist.

"Watch your feet there, Sammy," Nate choked out. Kit and Adam started to laugh. Little Sammy must have her feet very close to Nate's groin. Nate gave them an amused look.

Kit glanced at Jake who was floating on his back. Kit glanced back at Sam and couldn't help the wolfish grin on his face. If she looked at Jake right now, she'd probably be able to see his nakedness from her perch on Nate.

Sam though, wasn't even looking at Jake. She was looking down at the water as if she could see beneath. Kit would bet she had felt something with her foot and was wondering what it was. He had to turn away as his laughter came bubbling up out of him.

"What's so funny?" Quinn asked him.

"Nothing," Kit's laughter just kept coming. Adam started laughing with him and so did Nate.

"Almost got a bit of an education there," Nate managed to say as he laughed.

Adam started to cough he was laughing so hard.

"Ten more years," Kit said to Adam.

"It will be interesting," Adam responded.

"Ten more years for what?" Bryan wondered.

"You'll find out in ten years," Kit answered.

"Or less," Adam laughed.

"Nah, the big reveal is in ten years," Kit laughed.

"Yep, that's true," Adam nodded as he laughed.

Bryan, Quinn, Nate, Jake and Sam all wondered what they were talking about.

"Sammy will be nineteen," Kit said.

"That's old," Sam responded.

"Kit will be twenty-eight," Jake told her.

"Now that's old," Sam said.

"Gee, thanks Sammy," Kit laughed, splashing her.

Sam kicked her foot out at him and Kit grabbed it, pulling her off of Nate's back. With a shriek, Sam flew through the air to land face first on top of Jake. They both went under, Sam flailing away as she panicked.

Her hands reached for anything that would keep her from drowning. Sam's small hands grabbed onto the first thing she felt.

"Ow," Jake's head came out of the water. Sam's head bobbed next to him, her arms and legs still flailing.

"Let go, Brat," Jake's hands were under the water trying to pry her hands off of him.

"What's she grabbing, Jakey?" Adam teased.

Jake gave him a look as he managed to get Sam's hands off of him under the water.

Adam's jaw dropped.

"No!" he sputtered.

"Oh my gosh," Nate burst out laughing.

Kit almost gulped in a mouth full of water as he laughed.

Sam climbed up Jake's chest as she tried to keep herself from going under again. Her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs were around his waist as she coughed.

"I'm sorry, Sammy," Kit told her as he got control of himself. "Are you okay?"

Sam nodded quickly though not releasing the hold she had on Jake with her arms and legs.

"You can let go," Jake told her. "You won't drown."

"You don't know that," Sam responded.

"We won't let you drown, Sammy," Bryan assured her.

Sam shook her head.

"Come here," Adam held out his hands.

"You just want her to grab…," Kit began before he saw the look that Jake shot him. Little Jakey was not pleased with what he was about to say.

Sam was reluctant to let go of Jake.

"It's okay," Jake said.

Slowly Sam pried her fingers from Jake's skin and unlatched her legs from around his waist and Adam grabbed her immediately so she didn't go under.

"Jake needs to teach you to swim," Quinn told her.

"She swims fine in the river," Jake responded. "She's frightened is all."

Adam met Kit's glance, the two of them remembering their prediction. Jake was awfully protective of Sam at the young age of ten. What would he be like when they were both older?


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44**

They were sitting around the campfire roasting marshmallows. Sam had brought a bag with her and the guys had been enthusiastic. Jake had gone and gotten some sticks to use to hold them over the fire.

Sam shoved her stick into the fire, watching as her marshmallow quickly turned black. She turned it slightly so it blackened on all sides. She pulled it back to blow the flame out and then pulled the black outer shell from the marshmallow before putting it in her mouth.

"Oh," Sam groaned with pleasure before sticking the rest of the marshmallow back into the fire.

The six Ely brothers watched her, smiles upon their brown faces.

"This was a great idea, Sammy," Bryan told her as he ate one of the marshmallows that he had roasted.

Sam grinned around the marshmallow in her mouth. She held out her stick in front of Jake, asking without words to put another marshmallow on it.

"Impatient," Jake murmured when Sam started waving her stick in front of his face when he hadn't put one on right away. He pushed one onto her stick and Sam put it into the fire again.

"We should have had S'mores," Quinn said.

"What are..," Sam looked at Jake.

"S'mores," Jake told her. "They're marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers."

"Oh yum!" Sam's mouth almost watered. "We should have brought some mores."

"Say it all together," Jake instructed her.

Sam glanced up at all of the Elys before focusing on Jake. "Somores."

"Even more together," Adam said. "S'mores."

"S'mores," Sam pronounced, earning a nod from Jake.

She smiled at him, then laughed when the marshmallow she had popped in her mouth threatened to ooze out between her lips.

"Now that's appetizing," Jake rolled his eyes.

"Swrry," Sam said around the marshmallow.

Jake laughed and Sam hit him.

Jake threw a marshmallow at her. Sam threw it back.

"Someone might want to eat those," Kit reminded them.

"The fire will kill any germs," Jake told his oldest brother who laughed.

Once they were all full on roasted marshmallows, Nate brought out a deck of cards. Sam watched the boys play cards until she started falling asleep. She leaned against Adam who was the closest to her and fell asleep against his arm.

Kit and Nate were grinning at him as he lifted his arm and held her head as he lowered it to his lap. Sam never woke up.

"Ten years," Kit told his younger brother.

"Oh yeah," Adam laughed with a nod.

Jake gave them both a look. Then he looked at Quinn and Bryan who shrugged. They didn't get it either. He looked down at Sam sleeping so trustingly on his brother's lap.

Kit watched Jake for any signs of jealousy, but he didn't see anything in Jake's face to indicate it. He wondered again, if it would be different a few years from now when Jake understood what went on between men and women. He hoped Adam would keep him informed on Jake's and Sam's relationship while he was gone. Kit would talk to his brother about it later.

All of them got ready for bed a bit later. Kit zipped Sam's and Jake's sleeping bags together, then slipped off Sam's boots before putting her into the sleeping bag.

Jake watched him, rubbing his arms as he waited for Kit to be done. It was going to be a cold night and he was anxious to get into his sleeping bag. He knew without asking that the reason Kit had put their sleeping bags together was so Jake's body heat would keep Sam warm.

He gave a small smile. It worked both ways. Jake would be warm with Sam's body putting out heat also. Even if the fire went down during the night, Jake should be nice and warm.

"She's all yours, Jakey," Kit told him and Jake wondered at the sly smile.

Jake sat down on the sleeping bag and pulled off his boots. He climbed inside the sleeping bag and Kit zipped it up.

"Nighty night, Jakey," Adam's voice sounded like he was amused at something.

Jake picked up his head and looked to where Adam was adding wood to the fire. It was impossible to see his eyes or his face to tell.

Jake pulled the sleeping bag up over his and Sam's heads. He could feel her back against his and she automatically pushed closer to him and his warmth.


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45**

Kit woke up in the morning and glanced around camp to make sure everything was secure. Then he glanced at his brothers and almost barked out a laugh when he spied Jake.

"Are they spooning?" Adam's whisper reached him. It sounded like he was fighting back laughter.

"Sure are," Kit amusement was evident in his voice.

"Wow, not even eleven and Jake's spooning with a girl," Adam chuckled.

"I think she's spooning more with him," Kit corrected.

They looked down at the youngsters. Sam was right behind Jake, her cheek pressed against his back, her legs bent with his, one between Jake's legs as they lay together.

"If he only knew," Adam laughed.

"Ten years," Kit said.

"Nah, he'll know before that," Adam predicted. "It might take him ten years to work up the guts to be with her though."

The two laughed softly.

"I hate to disturb them," Kit sighed.

"They have the rest of their lives," Adam grinned.

"If all goes as we think it will," Kit corrected.

"Something tells me it will," Adam said.

"Unless Jake is the biggest idiot on the face of the planet," Kit laughed.

"Could be he might never think of her as more than a sister," Adam mused.

"I thought of that too," Kit nodded. Then he pointed at the twins. "If Jake doesn't, I look for those two to."

"Yeah," Adam agreed. "It will be interesting. Too bad you won't be here."

"I expect you to keep me up to date," Kit raised an eyebrow.

Adam nodded.

Kit bent his knees and shook Jake gently as he squatted beside him.

"Hey Jakey, time to get up," Kit told him.

"Hmmm," Jake murmured and opened one eye. "What?"

"Time to get up, little man," Kit said.

Jake nodded. He looked behind him as he realized Sam was all curled into him. His eyes strayed to Kit's and Adam's and he saw the amusement in their faces.

Jake reached between his legs and pushed Sam's leg from between his. She groaned in protest, scooting up closer to him. He elbowed her gently and she opened an eye.

"Get up, Brat," Jake told her.

"What time is it?" Sam slurred.

"Time to get up," Jake told her with a grin. Adam and Kit chuckled.

"While you two disengage yourselves from each other, I'll start fishing," Kit stood up and grabbed one of the fishing poles.

Jake gave Kit a dirty look as he sat up. Adam snorted as he threw some wood on the fire.

Jake pulled on his boots, then stood and stretched. Sam grabbed the top of the sleeping bag and pulled it over her head. Jake laughed and bent down to pull it off.

"Stop," Sam pulled it back over her head.

"Get up, Brat," Jake pulled it all the way off of her.

"You two better not rip that sleeping bag," Nate told them as he sat up.

"Knock it off, Jake," Adam said.

"Why should she get to sleep in?" Jake asked.

"Get used to it," Adam laughed.

"What's that mean?" Jake wondered.

"Just you better get used to it," Adam shrugged, a mischievous look in his eyes.

Jake didn't ask him to clarify it. He didn't trust the look in Adam's eyes.

"I'll go help Kit," Jake said instead, heading down to the lake.


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46**

Sam sat on the sleeping bag while Adam braided her hair. They had eaten breakfast, Kit having caught enough fish for all of them to feast on.

"Jake, you and Sammy are in charge of gathering the berries for tonight's dinner," Kit told him.

Jake nodded, flicking a glance at Sam as she sat cross-legged in front of Adam. He watched as Adam tied off the braid with a hair rubber band that Sam handed him.

"Thanks Adam," Sam turned to hug him.

"You're welcome, Sammy," Adam hugged her back. "Glad I could do it."

"I promise to figure out how to do that some day," Sam promised.

"I'll show you some time on a horse," Adam said. "Maybe then you'll get the pattern for it."

"Great," Sam gave him a bright smile. It lit up her whole face.

Kit and Adam looked at each other again, their mouths twitching.

"What's so funny?" Quinn asked.

"Nothin'," Kit told him.

"Somethin' is," Bryan disagreed.

"Nah," Adam shook his head.

"Adam will tell you in a few years," Kit explained.

Neither twin was happy with that, the frowns on their faces showed it. Jake looked at his two older brothers with suspicion. Kit just grinned at him.

"So, what are we doing today?" Nate asked.

"You mean besides swimming, eating and sleeping?" Adam laughed.

"Yeah," Nate nodded and laughed.

"Well, Sammy did you bring some dolls to play with?" Quinn asked.

Sam gave him a look. "I don't play with dolls."

"She plays with turtles," Jake piped in and Sam smiled at him and nodded.

"I saw some snakes," Bryan said.

Sam shook her head. "I like turtles better."

"Frogs too," Jake gave her a lopsided grin. Sam grinned back at him.

"Okay, well I saw frogs too," Bryan said.

"Frog races?" Sam asked.

"Sure, we can do frog races," Kit said with a nod.

Sam scrambled to her feet, followed quickly by Jake. The others were a bit startled.

"Trust me, she finds the best ones first," Jake told them as Sam ran down to the water, her braid trailing out behind her like a horse's tail.

Jake ran after her, determined to get the first frog.

"Well okay then," Adam laughed. "Guess we better hurry and get a frog before Sammy does, huh?"

The other five laughed as they got up.

By the time they reached the water, Sam already had a frog in her hand and was pushing it into Jake's face.

"My frog will leave yours in the dust," Sam was taunting her friend.

"Look around you, Brat," Jake had a frog also. "Do you see any dust?"

"Whatever," Sam rolled her eyes. "Jake the turtle is faster that whatever you find and so is Adam the frog."

"What?" Adam was surprised.

"He has your nose," Sam pointed out, much to the amusement of his brothers.

"Terrific," Adam mumbled under his breath.

"Yeah, frog boy," Quinn laughed. "Don't you see the resemblance?"

"I do," Kit was laughing heartily.

Jake was chuckling, happy that Sam didn't name the frog after him. He knew it would be a long while before they quit teasing Adam about having a frog named after him.


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47**

"I warned you," Jake told his brothers as they turned their frogs loose after the races. Sam had won every race with her frog.

"How does she do it?" Nate complained.

Jake shrugged. "Dunno, but she always does."

"I just know how to pick frogs," Sam said with a superior smile.

"And turtles," Jake said.

"Well, just Jake," Sam grinned at him, knowing how much it bugged him to have a turtle named after him.

Jake rolled his eyes.

"Why do you call the turtle Jake, Sammy?" Kit asked as they walked back up to camp.

Jake groaned.

"The turtle looks like him," Sam answered sensibly.

"How so?" Bryan asked.

"I can see why you thought the frog looked like Adam with its bug eyes," Quinn teased, earning a punch from Adam. Quinn punched him back and Kit stepped between them before it got out of hand.

"Jake the turtle is brown with black on his head," Sam told them.

Jake's five brothers looked at him with amusement. He couldn't help the slight twitch of his mouth.

"Where is this turtle?" Quinn asked.

"I'm not telling you," Sam shook her head. "Jake's mine."

Adam's and Kit's eyes met.

"After all that running, I need to swim," Nate said.

"All what running?" Kit yelped. "You didn't do anything. Your frog did all the work."

"And not very well, since it was always in last place," Bryan pointed out.

"Yeah, yeah," Nate mumbled. "Next time I'll have Sammy pick me out a frog."

"After I find Adam," Sam told him.

Adam groaned. His five brothers laughed.

They reached camp.

"You go ahead and change, Sammy," Kit told her. "We'll be in the lake."

"Okay," Sam nodded.

"No grabbin', Brat," Jake warned her.

"I don't grab," Sam put her hands on her hips.

"Maybe she planned it, Jakey," Nate laughed.

"Startin' young," Kit laughed.

"Oh for…," Jake stomped off towards the lake, his brothers laughing as they trailed after him.

Kit pulled Jake's hair as he ran by. Jake ran after Kit.

Sam could hear the Ely brothers as they yelled and teased each other. She turned around to watch. Sam saw someone's bare butt as they jumped in the lake and she quickly turned back around.

She changed into her bathing suit and waited for one of them to call up to tell her they were all in the water.

"Come on, Sammy," she heard Adam's voice.

Sam ran down to the lake, her braid flowing out behind her. The brothers watched her run and then hold her nose as she jumped in. She was smiling broadly when she surfaced and they all smiled at her.

It didn't take long before they were splashing each other and dunking. They took special care this time with Sam so she wouldn't panic.

When all of their skin started to resemble prunes, they decided to get out. The boys waited for Sam to go back to camp before getting out of the lake and getting re-dressed.

"You two go head for the bushes," Kit said to Jake and Sam later.

"What?" Jake yelped.

"To pick berries," Kit burst out laughing. The other Ely boys started to laugh.

"What did you think he meant, Jakey?" Adam wondered.

"I never know with him," Jake admitted with a grumble. "Come on, Brat."

"Take one of the containers," Kit reminded his youngest brother.

"Yeah, yeah," Jake muttered, grabbing a plastic container.

He tugged her shirt sleeve and dragged her along with him towards the bushes where the berries were.

"At least he's not dragging her by her hair," Nate joked as they watched the two youngsters move away.

"She'd slug him if he tried," Kit said.

"Oh, yeah," Adam nodded.


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter 48**

Sam thought she'd remember this campout for the rest of her life. They had so much fun that she had forgotten that Kit was leaving soon afterwards. It wasn't until they were riding home that she remembered. She glanced over at Kit as he rode.

"What's wrong, Sammy?" Kit had noticed the looks.

"You're leaving," Sam said, the sadness in her voice.

"Yep," Kit nodded. "It's part of life, sweetheart."

"I don't want you to leave," Sam told him.

Kit smiled softly at her. "It's not like I'll be gone forever."

"How long?"

"Adam and I have something going on in ten years," Kit told her. "So I'll be back for sure then."

Adam barked out a laugh and Kit grinned at him.

"Why?"

"I can't tell you that now, Sammy," Kit said.

"In ten years?" Sam wondered.

"Yes," Kit nodded. His eyes flicked to Jake who had been listening. Jake saw Kit glance at him.

"Hopefully," Adam put in.

"I'm betting it will," Kit told him.

"Betting what?" Jake asked.

"You'll find out too in ten years, little man," Kit promised with a laugh.

Sam and Jake glanced at each other. Sam shrugged.

"When are you leaving, Kit?" Quinn asked.

"Tomorrow," Kit responded.

"Tomorrow?" Bryan yelped. "Does Mom know?"

Kit shook his head. "I figured surprising her is best."

"You live dangerously," Nate said.

"Story of my life," Kit laughed.

"What are you going to do with the bronc you ride?" Jake asked.

Kit shrugged. "I guess Dad will sell him. He'll never make a saddle horse."

"Why?" Sam asked. Jake looked at her sharply.

Kit went into an explanation, most of which Sam didn't understand. She noticed that Jake was listening intently to what Kit was saying. Jake nodded every once in awhile as if he were storing the information.

"Can I come by tomorrow to say goodbye?" Sam asked Kit.

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't," Kit smiled at her.

"Okay, I'll be there," Sam told him, smiling back at him.

"Do you know what time he's leaving, Sammy?" Bryan laughed.

"No," Sam shook her head. "I figured he'd tell me." She gave Bryan a smirk.

The six Elys laughed.

"10:30," Kit said.

Sam gave a nod.

"You can tell time, right Sammy?" Quinn teased.

Sam gave him a look of outrage.

"Watch your back, Quinn," Jake laughed.

Sam hit Jake.

"Ow, why'd you hit me?" Jake rubbed his arm.

"Because I can't reach him," Sam said sensibly.

"Oh, that makes sense," Jake laughed, earning him another punch.

Sam stuck her tongue out at him.

"Is that the best you have, Brat?" Jake teased.

He spurred his horse out of the way when she tried to hit him again. Sam urged her horse after his as they took off over the range, Jake shouting insults over his shoulder at her. Sam yelled right back at him as she chased him.

"Anyone else get the feeling that those two are perfect for each other?" Nate asked.

Kit and Adam glanced at each other and grinned.

"Why do you think so?" Quinn wondered.

"Look at them," Kit and Adam said together.

The five guys all turned as one to look at the two youngsters as they rode, shouting insults at each other, but laughing the whole time they were doing it.


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter 49**

Sam looped George's reins over the hitching rail and loosened the bay's cinch. George blew out through his nose as he relaxed. Sam gave him a pat before turning and heading towards the big stone house at Three Ponies.

Kit was leaving today.

Sam was sad that her oldest brother, and that's how she thought of him, was leaving. Even though he said he'd be back in ten years, Sam had no idea how long that really was. She knew she was nine years old, but she couldn't comprehend how long ten years was.

The front door opened and Jake was standing there.

"Hey, Brat," he greeted her. "Come on in. Kit's just about ready to leave. Mom's hangin' on with both arms, so it might take awhile before he can pry himself loose."

Sam scuffed her boots on the porch before following Jake into the house. The Three Ponies house was so much bigger than her house. Of course, there were a lot more people living it in too.

"Mom's pretty upset," Jake told Sam quietly.

Sam nodded. Jake pointed at the coat rack near the door and Sam hung her hat on it.

"They're all in the family room," Jake said, leading her through the kitchen to the family room.

Sam was surprised to see their grandfather there too.

"Well hello, Samantha," Mac greeted her.

"Hi Mr. Ely," Sam gave a small wave before putting her hands in her front pockets.

"Now I can leave," Kit came over to where she was standing and picked her up. "My favorite little sister is here."

Sam put her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"Are you sure you have to go?" Mrs. Ely asked her eldest son.

"I've entered a competition for this weekend, Mom," Kit put Sam down. "I really need to get going."

Sam trailed after the family as they accompanied Kit. Jake glanced back at her, making sure she was coming. He didn't wait for her, but Sam knew he wasn't walking as fast as he normally did.

"Please be careful, honey," Mrs. Ely hugged Kit.

"I will, Mom," Kit promised, tolerating his mother's hug.

His father clapped his oldest son on the shoulder and gave him a man hug. Mac did the same, smiling as he murmured his good wishes to his grandson.

The rest of the Ely men gave Kit man hugs before Kit picked Sam up again and hugged her. Sam hugged him back.

"I'll think of you every time I hug Jingles," Sam told him.

Kit laughed.

"If you don't have a boyfriend when I come back, I'll be your boyfriend," Kit said.

"You're too old," Sam made a face, causing his parents and four of his brothers to start laughing. Only Mac and Jake didn't laugh.

"I won't be too old ten years from now," Kit responded.

Sam tilted her head at him. "Okay."

Jake's eyes narrowed. Kit was and always would be too old for Sam.

"Remember what we talked about," Kit glanced at Adam.

"I'll let you know if it happens before," Adam promised.

Kit nodded, putting Sam back down.

He tossed his bags into the truck that his parents had given him for his high school graduation.

"Well, see you," Kit said, then sighed. His mother was crying and he hated to see her cry.

"Bye Kit," everyone answered him.

With one last look at everyone, Kit got into his truck and started the engine. With a final wave, he pulled out and left to find his fortune with the rodeo.

© 2008 – LB

Characters © - Terri Farley


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